Legal Question...

Jaffa_Cake · 27 May 2008 at 23:56

Hi

I have just bought a dedicated server which I am using for game hosting, for me and a few friends.

I own a legal copy of COD4 and I want to run it as a server however it will take forever to upload from my PC so I want to know if its legal to download the iso's from a torrent etc if I own a legal copy of the game?

Raymond Lin · 27 May 2008 at 23:58

Probably not.

It's not the download aspect, its the fact that you will be uploading too.

Plus i don't think it works as a licence and if you get caught, the "I already have a copy" excuse doesn't hold water.

Darkwave · 27 May 2008 at 23:59

As far as I understand from reading the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act it's not illegal to download games in this country whether you own them or not. It's illegal to distribute them though, so I'd set your Bittorrent program not to upload if you're concerned.

Skeeter · 28 May 2008 at 00:01

If you want just the disk images to then use with your legal key then yes, go for it. No different to you turing your disk into an iso and uploading it.

ITs the sharing of CD keys or the playing of games without legal ones thats the issue, transfer of the raw CD images and files is fine.

Jaffa_Cake · 28 May 2008 at 00:02

Will do that Ulfhedjinn

Thanks for the responses

Skeeter · 28 May 2008 at 00:04

On a related note, Am I correct in thinking the so called law that allowed you to own a backup copy of any game or film you owned either never existed or has been removed?

Darkwave · 28 May 2008 at 00:13

Skeeter said:
On a related note, Am I correct in thinking the so called law that allowed you to own a backup copy of any game or film you owned either never existed or has been removed?

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Acts says that...

23 Secondary infringement: possessing or dealing with infringing copy

The copyright in a work is infringed by a person who, without the licence of the copyright owner—

(a) possesses in the course of a business,

(b) sells or lets for hire, or offers or exposes for sale or hire,

(c) in the course of a business exhibits in public or distributes, or

(d) distributes otherwise than in the course of a business to such an extent as to affect prejudicially the owner of the copyright,

an article which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe is, an infringing copy of the work.

Which to me says nothing about personal, private use.