Have you heard the term “abandonware” on the internet and don’t know what that means? We’ll tell you what’s behind the expression and how you use it.
Here you can find out what is behind the term “abandonware”. (Source: Jetrel / depositphotos.com
The expression “abandonware” is taken from English and means something like “forgotten” or “abandoned software”. The term is used to refer to video games and other software that are no longer manufactured by the developer. There are also no hard copies of the “abandonware” anymore, so it is no longer available for sale.
As is usual for the internet community, many of these shut down products still have a few fans. They work on the “abandonware” privately and make it available on their own online platforms or as a download. Many retro games can be revived in this way and make one or the other nostalgic geek happy.
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Origin of Abandonware
In response to the unavailability of abandonware, old software was distributed soon after the first PC came into circulation, but until the advent of the Internet, the scene remained more muted. While the trade in legacy games has taken many names and forms, the term “abandonware” was coined by Peter Ringing in late 1996.
Ringing found sites for classic games, contacted their webmasters, and formed the original “Ab andonware Ring” in February 1997. This was little more than a collection of websites linking to adventureclassicgaming.com. However, in October 1997, most of these archives were forced to close thanks to cease and desist letters.
The scene then really took off, however, as “abandonware” enthusiasts were spurred on by the bans. “Abandonware” grew so big that many developers finally settled with the websites and made distribution legal.
Copyright and Abandonware
Several websites archive “abandonware” for download, including old versions of applications that are otherwise difficult to find. The line between the use and distribution of “abandonware” and copyright infringement has blurred. Distribution of “abandonware” often occurs without proper notification of the owner.
If “abandonware” is processed and made available again, this violates the copyright of the products from a technical point of view. However, criminal prosecution of the “abandonware” nerds is now rare. Because such a comeback in a small circle could quickly lead to new remake options for the original developers, and the community also supports the correction of bugs as a support substitute.
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