Copywrite related doubt please help

[ajaybc]

I have a collection of 3000 old DOS games with me.I was thinking about making a website with provision to search and download these games.
Almost 80% of them were released before 1995.I got them from TPB.

So is there a problem in releasing these games for free through my website? I mean will I be sued?

These are some of the game I have:

1 To Nil Soccer Manager (1992)(Wizard Games Of Scotland Ltd)
1000 Miglia (1991)(Simulmondo)
100000 Pyramid (1988)(Basada)
10th Frame (1986)(Access Software Inc)
15x15 Picture Puzzle (1996)(Freeware)
1830 Railroads And Robber Barons (1995)(Avalon Interactive)
1869 (1992)(Max Design)
1942 The Pacific Air War (1994)(Microprose Software Inc)(Rev1)
1942 The Pacific Air War (1994)(Microprose Software Inc)
20000 Leagues Under The Sea (1988)(Coktel Vision)
221 B Baker St (1986)(Datasoft Inc)
2400 Ad (1987)(Origin Systems Inc)
3 Demon (1983)(Pc Research)
3d Ball Blaster (1992)(Dungeon Entertainment)
3d Body Adventure (1994)(Knowledge Adventure Levande Bocker)
3d Construction Set 1 (1991)(Domark)
3d Construction Set 2 (1992)(Domark)
3d Cyber Blaster (1994)(Dungeon Entertainment)
3d Cyberpuck (1995)(Dungeon Entertainment)
3d Helicopter Simulator (1987)(Sierra Online)
3d Helicopter Simulator 1.10 (1987)(Sierra Online)(Rev)
3d Table Sports (1995)(Time Warner Interactive)
3d World Boxing (1992)(Simulmondo)
4 Queens Computer Casino (1992)(Applications Plus)
4d Boxing (1991)(Mindscape Inc)(Rev1)
4d Boxing (1991)(Mindscape Inc)(Rev2)
4d Boxing Deluxe (1990)(Electronic Arts Inc)
4d Prince Of Persia (1994)(Broderbund Software Inc)
4d Sport Tennis (1990)(Mindscape Inc)
4d Sports Driving 1.1 (1990)(Mindscape Inc)(Rev)
4d Sports Driving 1.1 (1990)(Mindscape Inc)(Rev2)
4d Sports Driving 1.1 (1990)(Mindscape Inc)
4th And Inches (1987)(Accolade)
4x4 Offroad Racing (1988)(Epyx)
5th Fleet (1994)(Avalon Interactive)
688 Attack Sub (1988)(Electronic Arts Inc)
688 Attack Sub (1989)(Electronic Arts Inc)
7 Cities Of Gold (1993)(Ozark Softscape)
7 Colors (1991)(Infogrames)
7 Dni A 7 Noci (1994)(Pterodon Software)(C)
8088 Othello (1985)(Bayley)
9 Poker (1996)(Softstar)
A Dudley Dilemna (1989)(Lane Barrow)
A IV Network$ (1995)(Infogrames)
A Line In The Sand (1992)(Strategic Simulations Inc)
A Mind Forever Voyaging (1985)(Infocom)
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1989)(Monarch Software)
A Nightmare On Elm Street 1.0 (1989)(Monarch Software)
A Train (1992)(Maxis Software Inc)(Rev)
A Train (1992)(Maxis Software Inc)
A Train Construction Set (1992)(Ocean)
A10 Tank Killer (1989)(Dynamix)
A10 Tank Killer (1991)(Dynamix)
A10 Tank Killer Enhanced (1989)(Dynamix)
A320 Airbus (1991)(Thalion Software)
Aaargh (1988)(Arcadia)
Abandoned Places A Time For Heroes (1992)(International Computer Entertainment Ltd)
Abc Monday Night Football (1989)(Abc Interactive)
Abc Wide World Of Sport Boxing (1991)(Data East Corporation)
Abrams Battle Tank (1988)(Electronic Arts Inc)
Absolute Pinball (1996)(21st Century Entertainment)
Abuse (1995)(Crack Dot Com)(Rev1)
Abuse (1995)(Crack Dot Com)
Accordion (1990)(Softdisk Publishing)
Ace Air Combat Emulator (1986)(Spinnaker)
Ace Of Aces (1987)(Accolade)
Ace Of Aces 2 (1987)(Accolade)
Aces Of The Deep (1994)(Sierra Online)
Aces Of The Pacific (1992)(Sierra Online)
Aces of the Pacific WWII 1946 (1992)(Dynamix)
Aces Over Europe (1993)(Dynamix)(Rev1)
Aces Over Europe (1993)(Dynamix)
Acheton (1990)(Topologika)
Acid Tetris (1998)(Jason Pimble)
Ack Ack Attack (1996)(Kurt Dekker)
Ackack (1995)(Plbm)
Action Fighter (1986)(Firebird Software Ltd Kixx)
Action In The North Atlantic (1989)(General Quarters Software)
Action Soccer (1995)(Ludi Media)
Action Soccer (1995)(Ubisoft Entertainment)
Action Stations (1991)(Raw Simulations)
Action Super Cross (1993)(Ervin Horvath)
Action Supercross (1998)(Bal)
Activision Adventure Pack (1995)(Infocom)
Actobots (1989)(Scott Emmons)
Actua Soccer (1995)(Gremlin Interactive)
Advanced Civilization (1995)(Microprose Software Inc)
Advanced Destroyer Simulator (1990)(Futura)
Advanced Flight Trainer (1987)(Electronic Arts Inc)
Advanced Tactical Air Command (1992)(Microprose Software Inc)
Advanced Xoru (1989)(Castle Technologies)
Advantage Tennis (1991)(Atari Inc)(F)
Adventure (1991)(Craig Pell)
Adventure Construction Set (1985)(Electronic Arts Inc)
Adventure Fun Pack (1989)(Apogee Software)
Adventure Game Toolkit (1993)(Softworks)
Adventures In Math (1983)(Ibm)
Adventures In Serenia (1986)(Online Systems)
Adventures Of Captain Comic (1988)(Michael Denio)(Rev3)
Adventures Of Captain Comic (1988)(Michael Denio)(Rev4)
Adventures Of Captain Comic (1988)(Michael Denio)
Adventures Of Maddog Williams In The Dungeons Of Duridian (1991)(Game Crafters)
Adventures Of Microman (1993)(Brian Goble)
Adventures Of Robin Hood (1991)(Millennium Interactive)(Rev)
Adventures Of Robin Hood (1991)(Millennium Interactive)
Adventures Of Robin Hood (1992)(Millennium)
Adventures Of Willy Beamish (1991)(Dynamix)
Adventures Of Willy Beamish (1991)(Sierra Online)
African Adventure (1984)(Fullerton)
African Raiders (1986)(Tomahawk)
African Trail Simulator (1990)(Positive)
After Burner (1988)(Sega Entertainment Inc)
Age (1991)(Coktel Vision)(F)
Age (1991)(Coktel Vision)
Air Bucks (1992)(Sierra Online)
Air Force Commander (1992)(Impressions Games)
Air Strike Usa (1990)(Cinemaware)
Air Traffic Controller (1996)(Cascoly Software)
Air Trax (1983)(Presearch Incorporated)
Airball (1987)(Micro Deal)
Airborne Ranger (1987)(Microprose Software Inc)(Rev)
Airborne Ranger (1987)(Microprose Software Inc)
Airlift Rescue (1995)(David Fleming)
Airline (1991)(Falkan)(G)
Ajax (1989)(Konami)
Ajs World Of Discovery (1992)(Coktel Vision)
Akalabeth World Of Doom (1980)(Origin Systems Inc)
Al Qadim The Genies Curse (1994)(Strategic Simulations Inc)
Albion (1996)(Blue Byte)
Alcatraz (1992)(Atari Inc)
Aldos Adventure (1987)(Yahoo Software)(Rev)
Aldos Adventure (1987)(Yahoo Software)
Alex Higgins World Snooker (1986)(Amstrad And Lindensoft)
Alf The First (1987)(Box Office)
Alfs Thinking Skills (1993)(Vision Software)
Aliants The Desparate Battle for Earth (1989)(Star Soft)
Alice In Wonderland (1985)(Dale Disharoon Inc)
Alien Anarchy (1998)(Perceptum Informatica)
Alien Attack (1997)(Eldon Martin)
Alien Breed (1993)(Team 17)
Alien Breed Tower Assault (1994)(Psygnosis Team 17)
Alien Breed Tower Assault Enhanced (1994)(Psygnosis Team 17)
Alien Cabal 1 (1997)(Qasoft)
Alien Carnage (1993)(Apogee Software)(Rev)
Alien Carnage (1993)(Apogee Software)
Alien Carnage Original Install (1993)(Apogee Software)
Alien Fires 2199 Ad (1986)(Electronic Arts Inc)
Alien Incident (1996)(Housemarque)
Alien Legacy (1993)(Sierra Online)
Alien Logic (1994)(Mindscape Inc)
Alien Olympics (1994)(Mindscape Inc)
Alien Quake (1997)(Alien Quake Team)
Alien Rampage (1996)(Softdisk Publishing)(Rev)
Alien Rampage (1996)(Softdisk Publishing)
Alien Syndrome (1987)(Sega Entertainment Inc)
Alien Trilogy (1996)(Probe Entertainment)
All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)(Mgm Interactive)
All New Family Feud (1989)(Sharedata Inc)
All New World Of Lemmings 3 (1994)(Psygnosis)
Alley Cat (1984)(Synsoft)
Alone In The Dark (1992)(Interplay)
Alone In The Dark 2 (1994)(Interplay)
Alone In The Dark 3 (1995)(Interplay)
Alpha Waves (1990)(Infogrames)
Alqadim The Genies Curse (1994)(Strategic Simulations Inc)
Alter Ego Female (1986)(Activision Publishing Inc)
Alter Ego Male (1986)(Activision Publishing Inc)
Altered Beast (1988)(Sega Entertainment Inc)
Altered Destiny (1990)(Accolade)
Alternate Reality The City (1986)(Datasoft Inc)
Amado (1990)(Yong Choi)
Amarillo Slim 7 Card Stud (1991)(Villa Crespo Software)
Amarillo Slim Dealers Choice (1991)(Villa Crespo Software)
Amazing Maze (1983)(Headlands Press)(Rev)
Amazing Maze (1983)(Headlands Press)
Amazing Spiderman (1989)(Paragon Software Corporation)
Amazing Spiderman (1992)(Oxford Digital)
Amazing Spiderman And Captain America Doctors Dooms Revenge (1989)(Paragon Software)
Amazon (1984)(Trillium)
Amazon Guardians Of Eden (1992)(Access Software Inc)
Amberstar (1992)(Thalion Software)
Ambush At Sorinor (1993)(Mindcraft)
American Challenge A Sailing Simulation (1986)(Mindscape Inc)

Please Reply

[Gauravs90]

wiki.oldos.org
gaby.de - CP/M und Computergeschichte
VETUSWARE.COM - the biggest free abandonware collection in the universe

^^ These sites already lists copyrighted pre 1995 era softwares and they are perfectly legal.
So i think there is no problem at all.

[ajaybc]

Oh Thanks

[arpanmukherjee1]

Originally Posted by Gauravs90

wiki.oldos.org
gaby.de - CP/M und Computergeschichte
VETUSWARE.COM - the biggest free abandonware collection in the universe

hey .. thanx 4 the links.

didnt know my self that i will be attracted towards win95 / 3.1 after such a long time

will dwnld them and run on vBox

[dheeraj_kumar]

Get yourself a copy of Windows 98 SE, and run these games on that. Use Virtualbox to install the OS, BTW. That's because you can play them without any compatibility problems.

[knight17]

Many programs are well within the rights of their respective developers. But I don't think you'll be sued since they are not actively making any revenue so it the chances are little to null.

You can always take down if they ask.