Phoenix Network Forums

What are the legalities with old operating systems, like windows 1 through 3.1 and stuff like amiga OS, etc. Is it legal to have copies of those, or are laws relaxed on unsupported software?

Also, what is the oldest operating system you have used? Post and lets get a tally later.

I would hazard a guess that as long as someone who legally owns the rights to the software is alive (and some time beyond that) it would be illegal to make copies. In the case of windows, you'd need to be rid of Bill and his buddies.

Not sure though.

patents on music and documents expire after a defined time (here in germany) so i would guess that you are right, though i can not tell you how many years you have to wait. with music i think its 80 years or so...

so no chance, even for windows 1.01

my first operating system was the C64 shell, followed by MS-DOS 5

I'd say it was 80 years after the death of the owner of the rights?

I'm kinda young so i've only used Windows 3.11, but it would be fun too try out some of the older OS's.

About the legal question.. I have no idea how it is out in the big world, but in Sweden, it's 20 years. (At least i think so)

In www.narod.ru have more old OS and software

They've been abandoned by the developers. For Microsoft OS's, right up to Win98. For all open source OS's, is this really a question

i personally have used the old comodore 64 operating system on a comadre 64... i forget what version it was though, i do remember how ever it took about 20 minutes to load grovers adventures in spelling.

WET AS G