Listen. I'm not a developer yet, and I say yet because I'm working right now on learning Java, as I think it'll be a long-haul language. I completely understand the complaints on both sides here, but the issue is actually a simple one, and I'll say it as many times as I have to, because I've said it before.
Once a developer claims a game, that game is the responsibility of the developer. If, a while later, the developer no longer wants the game up, then make a redistributable release with no contact information and give it to folks who just want to play the game. Personally, I love danger city as it gives me a chance, every so often, to kick the crap out of people in a slightly unique way. I feel about that game very much as I feel about MOTA, although frankly I understand how way better MOTA is. The point is this: someone put time and effort into writing a program for people to play. For one person, who currently owns it, to say that they just don't care anymore, so why should anyone else is a serious blow to a reputation that is crucial for a developer to have. If a developer gets tired of a project so they quit, or if the OS no longer supports the language well, then that's where community lists like this one take over, because God knows there're plenty of computer nuts like myself on this list that can get stuff sorted out, or at least we can say there's no hope, so either get an older system with an older OS or suck it up and deal with no access to that one game. Summary, it's poor public relations to say that the games can't be redistributed. It's good pr that we know why. It's poor pr that people whining is the reason for a big mess of more whining. My vote: make a redistributable without contact info that the people who just love the games so much can grab ahold of and wash your hands of it. Totally unclaim the projects. They aren't yours. End of story. On 4/16/11, Alex Kenny <alexkenn...@gmail.com> wrote: > I'm not a developer, but I think there is a reason why a developer > would choose not to allow older programs to be redistributed. > > As Damien has previously mentioned, these older titles were written in > a deprecated language by amateur developers. The code is difficult to > read, update, compile and run. I believe there is probably a > reputation issue. Developers don't want buggy and useless code > floating around the net that they wrote. True, Damien didn't write > these games, but by purchasing them, the code is now his > responsibility. > > Another reason I've heard for developers refusing to redistribute > abandonware is that, even if they don't support it, people will still > contact them expecting help. If Damien did allow the games to be > distributed, I have no doubt that someone would download a copy > somewhere, encounter a problem, and send Damien an email saying, "Game > X won't run! Help!" Even if he emphasizes in the game documentation > that the games are abandonware, we've all seen first-hand that many > people in the blind community do not bother reading documentation or > other information that's right in front of them. > > > On 4/16/11, The Addictor <kenwdow...@neo.rr.com> wrote: >> Hey Tom, >> While I agree a hundred per cent, I still don't see why he's asking that >> no >> one else distribute the games. I have them all, as well as other games >> like >> Shell Shock. They are certainly not all that great, but to demand that >> nobody else distribute them seems a bit odd. I know they're his games, >> that >> he purchased them, but I don't see a reason for that. >> Ken Downey >> The Addictor >> www.TheAddictor.com > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, > please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. > --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.