are emulaters legal?

[JudaiZX]

just wondering if they are legal.

[Byakko]

Emulators yes. Roms no.

[JudaiZX]

Emulators yes. Roms no.

??? Don't they need ROMs to actually run games?

[RedLunchbox]

Yes, they do.

(P.S. Contrary to popular belief, the police will NOT break down your door and take you in for having ROMs on your computer)

[Dope]

I remember years ago on rom sites I'd always see a disclaimer that'd say something like "Only download if you own the original game, and you must delete this rom after 24 hours", something like that. But roms are illegal.

[Valodim]

yeah the 24 hour stuff is definitely bs.

almost all roms from nes, snes, gba, etc games are illegal, just like isos from psx/ps2/pc games. that is of course, assuming there's nothing that explicitly allows you to use them for certain purposes, in some countries it may be legal to create private copies of software you bought for backup purposes...

[Byakko]

??? Don't they need ROMs to actually run games?

So what ?

[JudaiZX]

Yes, they do.

(P.S. Contrary to popular belief, the police will NOT break down your door and take you in for having ROMs on your computer)

What will they do?

[Laxxe23]

if your caught, you will face a hefty fine, and possibly some jail time
depending on your age/mental status

[Valodim]

You won't get caught, because noone gives a shit who plays snes games or whatever. There's no market for them, no money to be made, so noone will care.

[OZ]

^This is the answer you're looking for.

[Shamrock]

Oh yeah, then why can't I find that Starwars fighting game or other roms? Why do you have to go to a torrent to find pacman?

[OZ]

My computer actually came default with pacman.

And because George Lucas is a dick.

[Duo Solo]

^
Haha, I want an explanation for Jar Jar Binks!

[D.W.]

I remember years ago on rom sites I'd always see a disclaimer that'd say something like "Only download if you own the original game, and you must delete this rom after 24 hours", something like that. But roms are illegal.

It's a smokescreen.

[MDI]

Oh yeah, then why can't I find that Starwars fighting game or other roms? Why do you have to go to a torrent to find pacman?

Because you're looking at the wrong rom sites.

[Luis Alejandro]

Actually val some arcades and internet cafes have emulators and run illegal roms for cash. Heck I spent some of my childhood in places like that.

[Baragon]

Here's how the system (at least in the USA) works.

Occasionnaly, they get one random person from a large city who's pirated very little, give them a hefty fine and use them as an example.

But no one cares.

[Cybaster]

Same in France for a guy who had 50 Music CDs and 100 Divx.

They set the poor guy as an example to scare the stupid people.

[ArellonX]

It's funny because just about everyone breaks the law. Even the sheriff's little boy has illegal music downloads lol

Everything on the internet is free, right down to movies, music, and everything else.