Wow, didn't think my account from 2002 that I only used like once or twice would still be active. But I digress.
I've had the full/registered version of Jelly Bean Factory (https://dosgames.com/game/the-jelly-bean-factory/) in my docket for quite a while, and I'm willing to contribute it if you guys will have it. Problem is, I have no idea how to do so, or if it's okay to distribute the full version on the site (though I'm pretty sure it was developed by a single Canadian back in '93 who probably completely forgot they even made it). So, how would I go about submitting this officially and/or verifying that everything would be hunky dory?
Contributing games?
Contributing games?
Hello, and welcome back to the forums!Kurushimi wrote: ↑ I've had the full/registered version of Jelly Bean Factory (https://dosgames.com/game/the-jelly-bean-factory/) in my docket for quite a while, and I'm willing to contribute it if you guys will have it. Problem is, I have no idea how to do so, or if it's okay to distribute the full version on the site (though I'm pretty sure it was developed by a single Canadian back in '93 who probably completely forgot they even made it)
The game you're talking about was originally sold as shareware, and the rights to it have not expired according to any copyright regulation that I know of.
The right thing to do is try to contact the author, and request the full version to be made freeware, that is, re-released under an appropriate licence (at the author's or current copyright holders' discretion). You cannot just assume that the author "probably completely forgot" about the game, you need to ask.
Here's a nice example of how an author reached out on their own and gave the permission to distribute the game (except he could not find the full version in the archives as it seems). The thread also discusses an appropriate license.
Without such permission, it is not a good thing to distribute the registered version if you have no right to do that.