Hello,
Check out new BZ Website and download new BZ installer, translated into 6 languages!
See You in the Zone,
[link removed]
You know that's illegal, don't you? The game is still available for purchase and still under copyright. I've removed the link because of this and I would recommend that you remove it from your signature.
http://www.bzuniverse.com/forum/index.php/topic,8352.0.html
Just don't offer the installer for download and you should be good.
Quote1. No posting links or asking about piracy. This includes No-CD hacks, links to the full BZ1 installer and what not. We got introuble for this once already, don't do it again.
I didn't post link to the full BZ1 installer, I posted link to a website. It was said that's allowed and now you say it isn't. Double standards or you admins don't work well together?
Available for purchase? Show me where, I wanna buy it.
http://catalog.ebay.com/Battlezone-PC-Games-1998-/6179?_fifpts=1&_pcategid=1249&_pcatid=2&_refkw=battlezone&_trksid=p3286.c0.m271
Copyright laws stand for well more than 50 years I think.. So, yes, it is illegal to host a full Battlezone 1 installer when copies of that game can still be bought at retail stores.
Also, the administrators here work very well together, I even know a few of them here pretty well.
Mr. Spock, youve been banned for three days. Come back when you can read the regulations.
For the record, posting a link to a page that contains the download is illegal, and therefore against the rules.
No double standard, if you post a link to a patch that only contains a patch, not the full installer, it can stay. If the "patch" contains all of the files necessary to run the program (including the bzone.exe file), the link will be removed. Period.
For the record not even BZE can get linked here and that has a letter of permission for being made.
Since 1.3's developers developed BZ2, the legalities are different than had NK1 or OM or the like made it.
No BZ2 executable can be legally distributed anyway, since it is part of the software that the user has paid for (hopefully).
This forum does run a strict, no piracy rule. BZ2 has slightly different circumstances compared to BZ1 because the 'official' 1.2 patch still had some major bugs and glitches in it, hence 1.3.
But anyway, there is no point in posting full downloads of either BZ or BZ2. GSH and Ken were part of the original dev team for BZ2, and thus, they still have the source code for BZ2 itself, and can continue development for the 1.3 patch. So yes, circumstances between the two are a bit different, but the rules stay the same pretty much.
er, you guys do know that the address of the site is still in the subject line right?
I didn't actually, thanks.
Mr. Spock did message me asking if a link to the website entry page, without any files or anything, would be OK, as previous attempts to 'advertise' caused quite a commotion.
I said a link to the main page would be OK, not expecting a 'look, there's an installer!' entry to accompany it. My understanding is that no links to actual files or pages containing files that are still copyright are allowed.
I don't want the Spock/Dx wars to start up again, just to allow fair and impartial access to BZ1 information for everyone. There shouldn't be a problem with Mr Spock coming here and saying:
"We have what we feel is a very good BZ1 website, located HERE. Come visit us!"
But of course, it can't be that simple... can it?
-Av-
Quote from: Avatar on October 31, 2009, 02:25:19 PM
But of course, it can't be that simple... can it?
Remember who we're talking about.
He's been banned for the weekend, so things shouldn't break out. If they do, I will not hesitate to lock this topic. It seems that the whole BZ1 board is generally the victim of much more of this stuff than the BZ2, 1.3 and other boards.
EDIT: Avatar already has locked it. Whoops :lol: Guess I've got to start looking for the locked icon rather than the lack of a quickreply box.
Well, several people have reported that the original link did not violate Forum policy as it WAS strictly to the entry page of the site. Since it was edited before I saw it I can't say for sure, but I believe those who say it was OK. That's something of a technicality here, though...
The real issue as I see it is the declaration of there being a new installer, not the link to the entry page. As previously stated nobody here owns the bzone.exe, so any modification and distribution of it in any form is copyright infringement. Advertising such a thing in a post is against forum rules regardless of where the link leads.
I think the emotional reaction to the mention of an 'installer' in the message was over the top... but everyone is fiercely protective of these forums so the 'zero tolerance' stance is understandable. Still, it would have been more proper to edit out the installer message rather than the link. I think, if had been me, I'd have dumped the topic entirely and PM'd the issue to Spock, giving him a chance to rephrase the post properly.
As I said, I don't want the wars that have raged elsewhere to spread to this little backwater of BZ info, but I will urge tolerance, patience, and equal treatement of all. I hope in the future everyone, Spock included, can post freely within the rules of the forum.
If that's their intent, that is. Otherwise out comes the big hammer... :)
-Av-