Illegal MAME CDs, what to do?

[Necrosaro420]

Like I always say, if you dont like something turn the channel. Your not forced to listen/watch anything. Same with this. They are not forcing you to buy these cd's. Whats it doing to you? Its not making you lose money. Its not hurting you. Let the kids do what they want to do. And plus if they sell them, its there buisness, who cares what they do, leave them alone and let them do what they want. And maybe there not selling the roms and emu, maybe there selling there time and the money it costs for the cd and giving the rom/emu for free? =)

[larsoncc]

I'm always wary of kids that are selling "mildly illegal" things.

It's a common thug / gang tactic to either

1. Force kids to sell for you, or
2. Coerce kids to sell for you (wanna be in the gang?), or
3. Tempt kids with lives they could never have, to get them to sell for you.

Any time you see a minor selling these things, you need to think about it. Something majorly bad is probably happening in their lives. At very LEAST, their childhood is being ripped away, and they don't have the chance at a life like we have.

Legality issues aside, you're dealing with a very shady element of society when you deal with organized pirates.

And yeah, I know - this statement is not logically sound. It sounds nearly the same as the argument used against drugs ("I supplied AK-47s to terrorists by using heroin"). However, this crime doesn't involve foriegn powers as much, and it isn't treated by the law as "severe".

Regardless, it feeds a machine that you don't want to feed. Because piracy is illegal, you don't want to purchase pirated goods. Lobby to get the laws changed instead.

/public service announcement

[-hellvin-]

Any time you see a minor selling these things, you need to think about it. Something majorly bad is probably happening in their lives. At very LEAST, their childhood is being ripped away, and they don't have the chance at a life like we have.

Not to troll, but it's not cocaine my friend. They went to a site, they downloaded old games, burned them to cds and we're like, "dude, let's sell these for 10$ a pop at the flea."

[Captain Wrong]

not to pull away from the topic agian, but whats this 5 year rule?

I've read most on the xbox scene forums there is a five year timespan from the current year of illegally playable mame games. Anything older is free game. Not sure how authentic this is or what, but it's just what I've heard many times.

Absolutely not true. This, like the "24 hour rule" (you can have a rom on your PC if you delete it within 24 hours,) is complete fantasy.

The MAME authors I think only emulate games 5 years (or more) older to give the companies a chance to make their money. That's a nicety on their part. However, unless you own the game, having the ROM is illegal regardless if the game is 5 years old or 15 years old unless the copywrite owner had made the game public domain (as has happened with the Vectrex.)

[Eibon]

I am asking the question here as I'm sure most everyone here has been in emulation in one form or another may be able to tell me what action to take if any.

Please, don't be a rat.

Just mind your own business. They have not done anything wrong to you, your family, or friends. If you mess with them, karma can be rough.

E

[-hellvin-]

not to pull away from the topic agian, but whats this 5 year rule?

I've read most on the xbox scene forums there is a five year timespan from the current year of illegally playable mame games. Anything older is free game. Not sure how authentic this is or what, but it's just what I've heard many times.

Absolutely not true. This, like the "24 hour rule" (you can have a rom on your PC if you delete it within 24 hours,) is complete fantasy.

The MAME authors I think only emulate games 5 years (or more) older to give the companies a chance to make their money. That's a nicety on their part. However, unless you own the game, having the ROM is illegal regardless if the game is 5 years old or 15 years old unless the copywrite owner had made the game public domain (as has happened with the Vectrex.)

I figured it was folly. Thanks for the clarification.

[Necrosaro420]

Just remember.......Snitches get Stitches.

[larsoncc]

Not to troll, but it's not cocaine my friend. They went to a site, they downloaded old games, burned them to cds and we're like, "dude, let's sell these for 10$ a pop at the flea."

Heh. Well, I'll still bite, because it gives me a nice platform for my "don't buy pirated goods" spiel...

Selling / buying pirated goods isn't always as simple as some schlub making a few bucks.

As a game collector, I've been pretty darned interested in flea markets. There are bargains out the ass. As a result, I naturally listen in when news sources talk about flea markets. I like to be careful about how I shop - use my head, while I'm using my wallet.

Buying pirated stuff just goes against everything I like about collecting. It has no value, and it seems... a lot worse than that, too.

A real quick Google search reveals that many flea markets have a strong gang association.

Selling warez by gangs: http://www.uplink.com.au/lawlibrary/...cs/Doc122.html

Flea markets and gang "neutrality":
http://www.ci.ceres.ca.us/weeklyarticle/20040324.html

Probability of Terrorists / Gangs making $$ off counterfieted goods:
http://www.whiotv.com/news/1952345/detail.html

Terrorists and counterfeiting:
http://www.lpconline.com/avoiding_co...eit_goods.html

"The FBI believes the 1993 New York World Trade Center Bombing was financed by counterfeit T-shirts and sports apparel. In July of 2003, Interpol Officials testified in Congress that product counterfeiting is one of the funding methods of Al Quada and Hezbollah. Product counterfeiting frequently plays a part in the laundering of drug money."

Organized retail theft and its association with flea markets (Retail Industry Leaders Association):
http://www.imra.org/content/default.asp?dbid=291

Mexico has similar problems:
http://www.amcham.com.mx/publicacion...3/pirates.html

" Industry and police sources told Business Mexico that there are at least 25 big gangs dedicated to counterfeiting in Mexico. Many are highly advanced crime organizations with their hands in other rackets.... "

""as lucrative as pushing heroin, about as hard as photocopying and low on the law enforcement agenda.” Once products have been produced, Mexico’s brimming black market and endless flea markets make distribution a dream for counterfeiters... "

OK... I'll return this thread to its regularly scheduled broadcast.

[christianscott27]

bin laden built my MAME cab!

[Cmosfm]

Oh please..

this has been done since the beginning of time. One of the most popular booths in every flea market I go to here in Toronto is the one where you have a 21 year old sitting and modding a PS/2.

While you wait, you can browse through his books (yes.. he has a few of them) and select what PS/2 game you want to buy for 10$ each.

The flea owners don't care, and the cops walking around don't care either...

That's about the gist of it. I don't care either really. BTW, I bought all my roms here...

CLICK HERE

[Drammy]

..Wow.
Those sets of DVDs would be nice what with my 56k.. but I really don't have the $140 for them, plus I don't have a DVD drive in my PC..
<Is a big fan of emulation>

[musical]

I've read most on the xbox scene forums there is a five year timespan from the current year of illegally playable mame games. Anything older is free game.

It's nonsense. A game is not legally "free" until the copyright owner gives it up and releases it to public domain. Probably old Odyssey and Coleco games qualify since those companies went bankrupt, but that's about it.

Go ahead and sell old Nintendo ROMS like Donkey Kong or Super Mario 1. I guarantee if Nintendo finds out, they'll drag you to court, because even though they're 20 years old, Nintendo still holds the ownership.

When you trade free game ROMs, regardless of their age, you are taking a risk. Users need to know that before they make that choice.

[Cmosfm]

Go ahead and sell old Nintendo ROMS like Donkey Kong or Super Mario 1. I guarantee if Nintendo finds out, they'll drag you to court, because even though they're 20 years old, Nintendo still holds the ownership.

Actually, you'd be surprised at how much shit Nintendo doesn't give about this. Why do you think every mall in America has a PowerJoy kiosk. If they really cared all they'd have to do is sweep the US malls.

[CRV]

Probably old Odyssey and Coleco games qualify since those companies went bankrupt, but that's about it.

As far as Coleco goes, I think Telegames owns anything that's not an arcade port.

[-hellvin-]

Go ahead and sell old Nintendo ROMS like Donkey Kong or Super Mario 1. I guarantee if Nintendo finds out, they'll drag you to court, because even though they're 20 years old, Nintendo still holds the ownership.

Actually, you'd be surprised at how much shit Nintendo doesn't give about this. Why do you think every mall in America has a PowerJoy kiosk. If they really cared all they'd have to do is sweep the US malls.

Agreed, especially since this is a profit making device. I'd feel they would actively do something against snes era at the oldest.

[Berserker]

I think you should notify the FBI. SWAT teams should be deployed, and the use of machine-gun equiped Helicopters should also be taken under consideration.

Personally I never buy any MAME cd's unless they also supply the 900+ boards required to legally own the roms. I agree with what's been said already, by purchasing these roms you are actually using heroin.

These "kids" are probably fronting for either terrorists or the mafia. Or the Aliens, or possibly even Satan.

Remember, JUST SAY NO.