"Abandon-ware" & Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)

All Software In aazard Freeware Repackages Are Declared "Orphan Works", & Archived.

* Until Such Time I Am Informed, By Copy-Right Holder, That Their Work Is Not An "Orphaned Work".

Cited from the DMCA; Specifically:
"Everything here is 100% legal"

aazard is based in Canada, a Berne Convention signatory nation.

aazard follows all laws, as required in their home nation of Canada. If any party has issue with anything posted on this website, please contact aazard directly, at infradata.it@gmail,com. 

November 2006, Library of Congress approved an exemption

DMCA

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) can be a problem for the preservation of old software as it prohibits required techniques. In October 2003, the US Congress passed 4 clauses to the DMCA which allow for reverse engineering software in case of preservation.

"3. Computer programs and video games distributed in formats that have become obsolete and which require the original media or hardware as a condition of access. ...The register has concluded that to the extent that libraries and archives wish to make preservation copies of published software and videogames that were distributed in formats that are (either because the physical medium on which they were distributed is no longer in use or because the use of an obsolete operating system is required), such activity is a noninfringing use covered by section 108(c) of the Copyright Act."

— Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies

In November 2006 the Library of Congress approved an exemption to the DMCA that permits the cracking of copy protection on software no longer being sold or supported by its copyright holder so that they can be archived and preserved without fear of retribution.

2012, EU "Orphan Works Directive"

EU law

In the EU in 2012 an "Orphan Works Directive" (Directive 2012/28/EU) was constituted and is transferred into the member's laws. While the terminology has ambiguities regarding software and especially video games, some scholars argue that abandonware software video games fall under the definition of audiovisual works mentioned there.

Until this is, if ever, clarified the definition of audiovisual works in its wording includes all "audiovisual works", including software, under EU law.

aazard Freeware Note

Although ALL aazard Freeware Repackages ARE 100% FREEWARE, some have "charity", "donated" or "public" serial keys (Etc.) provided directly from the source.

This protection extends to all users in any of the Berne Convention signatory nations.