What's our policy regarding abandonware?

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vevy
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What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#1 Post by vevy »

There are great software that haven't been updated in years and the site has been offline.

Case in point: TablePro. No updates since early 2015. The site was dormant for years then it was taken up by a NSFW venture, probably as the registration expired.

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Andrew Lee
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Re: What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#2 Post by Andrew Lee »

Typically, there has been a few ways we have dealt with this issue.

- If Internet Archive has a copy, we will point to that.

- If some other software site like CNet has a copy, we will point to that.

- Otherwise, if the software does not have a clause against redistribution and someone has a copy of the software, we can keep a local archive for direct download.

- The last option is to nuke the entry and take it private.

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vevy
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Re: What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#3 Post by vevy »

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I am talking about a shareware (one nag screen every couple of months, hundreds of launches, something like that).

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Midas
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Re: What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#4 Post by Midas »

Andrew summed it pretty nicely. An additional option might be to just make a post with details in our forums.

Some examples:


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webfork
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Re: What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#5 Post by webfork »

vevy wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 3:41 pm There are great software that haven't been updated in years and the site has been offline.
One of the projects I wanted very much to start was work on the various mobile OS efforts by Microsoft, which would include Windows Mobile, Windows CE, and Pocket PC), which require some kind of emulation. I was hoping to work on some kind of portable solution. I'm not sure if it makes sense anymore, but I mention it because almost all of the software in that area is abandonware.
vevy wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 6:21 pm ... I am talking about a shareware (one nag screen every couple of months, hundreds of launches, something like that).
I try to focus on programs that aren't going to change status. For example, we've had a number of programs go commercial but don't allow for redistribution, meaning we can't host their old freeware program.

Similarly, it's a problem if the very occasional nagware program you describe decides stop working after 6 months or a year. If you're sure that's not a problem (i.e. you've tested it at length) then I have no problem with that.

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vevy
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Re: What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#6 Post by vevy »

Five years since last update. Still working.
the portable version which doesn't include a EULA, but the installer and the online EULA (2017) allow for distribution.

Adding it to the database.

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Re: What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#7 Post by Special »

vevy wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 3:56 pm [/url] and the online EULA (2017) allow for distribution.

Adding it to the database.
Pro click!

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vevy
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Re: What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#8 Post by vevy »

Special wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:37 pm
vevy wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 3:56 pm [/url] and the online EULA (2017) allow for distribution.

Adding it to the database.
Pro click!
What do you mean?

Special
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Re: What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#9 Post by Special »

That link takes me to this... https://i.imgur.com/g98wkd5.jpg

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SYSTEM
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Re: What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#10 Post by SYSTEM »

@Special: doesn't happen to me.
My YouTube channel | Release date of my 13th playlist: August 24, 2020

Special
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Re: What's our policy regarding abandonware?

#11 Post by Special »

Yeah I noticed later it was because of a firefox addon I use that skips redirects... https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefo ... -redirect/
Guess it doesn't play nice with archive.org's redirections, but that link still points to porn otherwise.

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