I have two questions please. The first is why the Dolphin emulator (for
GameCube and Wii) is not present. I am new to this emulator, but it is
licensed as Free Software as far as I can tell.
My second question, is emulation of video games bought in a store against the
ideas of Free Software? I think Stallman once was asked how video should be
handled and said something along the lines that the engine should, at least,
be Free Software. Such as how Doom separates the engine from the content
(IWAD.) As such, are these games considered proprietary and as such we
should not be trying to emulate them anyway? Or, is it okay to emulate them
so long as we use a Free Software emulator?
When we look at ROM file for instance, many variations to games have been
made that can only be played through an emulator. I think, if I remember
correctly, these variations are under the GPL. Such as ones I've seen made
of super mario 3. Sense a ROM is able to be edited, does it now become
considered Free Software? And, does the same concept apply to an ISO disc of
a Gamecube or Wii game?
On one hand, if we sprint past the DRM and emulate the game on a Free
Software emulator, is that not the same as getting past DRM on a mp3 and
listening to it on a Free Software player? Or getting past the DRM on a DVD
and playing it in a Free Software player? If we can play an ISO of a
Gamecube or Wii game on Dolphin, and Dolphin is GNU GPL, does that make it
okay? We can play ROMS, than can be modified, of super mario 3 in a Free
Software NES emulator.
I guess my question is at what point is it still a valid use of Free Software
and at what point is it self delusion? I am not sure but I do not think it
is as easy to modify a game who's ISO you copied from a disc as it is to
modify a NES ROM. As such, it is a game without source code. How is that
any different than running Starcraft on GNU/Linux and now saying you have a
Free Software game because you have emulated Windows functionality? (Not
sure if WINE is Free Software, but even if it was, the philosophical argument
is still here.)
What's right?
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