A Question On Roms....

[Dreddz]

Ok, I know there illegal, but can people actually find out that have downloaded Roms, cause I downloaded a Rom, and a text file came with it saying that if you dont delete this in 24 hours, the police will come knocking at your door.
Is that possible ?

[Mneme]

Not greatly, no. There's a plethora of useless information on the internet about who's ip downloaded what, when, and from where... the chances of anyone ever being interested in your small bit theft is minimal. There's no little man sitting outside your door waiting for your 24 hours to end before he dashes in a and arrests you.

However if you don't own the original and it's not abandonware it is theft and crime, so you should always be prepared. Think of it like installing windows on multiple machines when you've only paid for the one, or crossing somewhere on the road you're not supposed to... It's a small crime. Most of the time you'll never be noticed, maybe a whole lifetime... however if you're dumb enough, or unlucky enough to get caught you have only yourself to blame.

So consider yourself largely safe. You've about as much chance of winning the next competition you enter as being done for this.

Needless to say when they kick down your door tonight.... I don't know you ;) We never spoke ;)

[Dreddz]

but isnt it only illegal if it isnt deleted within 24 hours, how would they know if you have deleted it.....

[Meat Puppet]

they have spy cameras on your computer and b athroom. Wear a tinfoil hat.

[Mneme]

Liability. The sites must tell you that to keep their own necks safe should the stuff ever in the course of a legal search be found on your computer (when you downloaded naturally recorded). Whether it will or not is debatable.

Like the way a shop will say 18 films are not for sale to anyone under 18. They don't know or care who's buying them half the time, or how old you are. But with big posters everywhere... the box clearly labelled, it's your fault, and you're in the /xxx.gif/xxx.gif/xxx.gif/xxx.gif should it become an issue. You were informed and expected not to do it.

No one's interested in your little download... why would they want to waste money prosecuting you? However if it ever turns for any reason in the course of legal search and someone in authority would like to burn you they will naturally feel free to use the information. Happened to the father of a friend of mine. He was accused of having downloaded kiddie porn (as a teacher an even bigger deal and witch hunt than usual). He had no such thing on his computer... innocent it would seem. They busted him good over his MP3 collection though, and ferw other bits and bobs.

... and it's your teeth they're tracking you through if you run... they'll have to come out.

[Black Mage]

Aside from what Mneme has already said, the 24 hour situation isn't true, either.

It's not legal to download or distribute roms in any way shape or form. If you were to create the rom yourself, from your own cartridge, then it's okay for you to have, though not distribute.

The 24 hour a-okay is really just something someone made up to feel better about what they were doing. It's not any more or less illegal if you own it for 10 minutes, or 10 years.

[Tasura]

Moving roms around is also a good thing, from one thing to another, lik an external hardrive. <_<>_> But yea, unless you own the original or made it yourself, it is illegal regradless of the '24 hour' rule and if you pay for your roms thast even worse.