To address a point raised by Mister Ed:
We're confusing concepts here: art has evolved over the centuries and today it's presented in different forms. Obviously, the Mona Lisa is an unique item and it would be foolish to say that every human being has a right to "own" it (not mention slightly impractical). It's an object that can't be reproduced but it can be appreciated in a museum. And the ticket is free once per month
Books, games, music, they have been released as products. Yes, a product can be art or culture. People don't need to visit a museum to appreciate them and I sure hope it remains that way (can you imagine having to read a book in a museum?).
To say "Maniac Mansion still exists because I own a copy" is moot. Look at it this way: the Mona Lisa exists somewhere yet everybody can google its image or buy a cheap reproduction.
And it has to remain that way because its cultural significance demands such availability. Imagine for a second the fierce outcry that would occur if the Louvre would ever forbid *every* reproduction of the Mona Lisa. Crazy, right?
How many people can play Maniac Mansion today? Only those who bought either the original game or Day Of The Tentacle at least 20 years ago. I'm sorry but I can't accept this. I don't give a damn who owns the right. Again: somebody screwed up or has no interest to distribute Maniac Mansion.
Their loss. Not
our loss.
A decade ago I would have understood if it was too expensive for a publisher to produce a given title again. But with nowadays digital revolution, it's *trivial* to re-release these games. Yet we had to wait until some obscure company in Russia founded GOG and in less than three years became one of the coolest sites in the web. Put into perspective, it makes you want to cry.
Finally, I would go as far as saying that it was in part thanks to the Abandonware movement that a site like GOG exists today. It was countless of fans the ones who kept alive the memory of many, many games, and showed companies that there was so much interest in playing them. Think about that.
To conclude, make sure you read this fascinating article by Benj Edwards:
Why History Needs Software Piracy
Quoting him:
Quote:
If you love software, buy it, use it, and reward the people who make it. I do it all the time, and I support the industry’s right to make money from its products. But don’t be afraid to stand up for your cultural rights. If you see strict DRM and copy protection that threatens the preservation of history, fight it: copy the work, keep it safe, and eventually share it so it never disappears.
Some people may think ill of your archival efforts now, but they’re on the wrong side of history: no one living 500 years from now will judge your infringing deeds harshly when they can load up an ancient program and see it for themselves.
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