Are NO-CD cracks for games illegal?

[VetLegion]

Are NO-CD cracks for games illegal, and if yes, why?

We assume that one owns a legal copy of the game, but wants to play it without the CD.

[loinburger]

The EULA usually includes something about not modifying the source code.

[Ming]

Re: Are NO-CD cracks for games illegal?

Originally posted by VetLegion
We assume that one owns a legal copy of the game, but wants to play it without the CD.

That's one use... another would be to pass the game along to all your friends

Unless the game company authorizes a crack for the game, it's illegal. Apolyton supports the games produceres, and does not allow people to post links to illegal hacks on this site.

[VetLegion]

Yeah, I know Apolyton's policy. The question is hypothetical.

How come a car company can't prevent me from modifying my car, but a software company can prevent me from modifying my .exe file?

[Pekka]

because it's in the agreement. That agreement protects both end user and the developer.

[rah]

I agree that it's illegal but for personal use, I have no problems with it. It's like taping a show for your personal viewing. I have never used one for a game that I didn't buy.

But I do support this sites stance about not allowing people to post links, since you can't control how people will use it.

[Ming]

Modifing your car doesn't create a "second" free car. Doing so with a game does just that

[VetLegion]

because it's in the agreement. That agreement protects both end user and the developer.

Oh yeah? They also put "we're not responsible for anything that happens because of this software" and courts have routinely rejected that as invalid.

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by Ming
Modifing your car doesn't create a "second" free car. Doing so with a game does just that

Technically, you have to actually make a copy of the game to make the "free car". Just modifying the game so it runs without the CD is not copying.

To demonstrate how perverse it is, I've thought of an analogy. Programs are sets (or lists) of instructions.

Consider for a moment that you have bought dancing instructions. They are ten pages long, but mostly repetetive, so you think of a way to rearange the instructions a bit so they fit on one page and you can hold them in your hand while you dance.

Now, software companies don't allow you to modify those instructions.

Does that make sense to you?

[OneFootInTheGrave]

while this is technically illegal, well the enforcement bit is tough so you can install it if you are annoyed with the CD

[Az]

no, communist, it doesn't.

[VetLegion]

The idea that we have allowed intellectual property protection to evolve into something like this is mind boggling.

BTW., did you know they are instituting an anti-piracy tax on blank CDs, HDDs and flash memory in Croatia? . It would double the price of CDs if the thing passes.

[Az]

I'd support a media tax as long as it makes content legitimately free.

[VetLegion]

Me too.

[VetLegion]

Though, that's a communist thing to do. Only those who use it should pay for it. I retract my statement from the post above. You got me for a second there commie, but I bounced back