The ethics of backups

[TribeHasSpoken]

I'm having something of an ethical/legal dilemma, and thought I'd put it up here for comments.

A game CD of mine has become damaged. Specifically there is a crack at the center of the disc. This crack does not extend to the data part of the disc, and therefore the disc is still completely readable. Out of fear that continued use of this disc would extend the crack and make this disc unreadable, I have created a backup of this disc and wish to use the backup to play the game.

What do you all think? Is this legitimate, or should I investigate purchasing a new copy of the game?

[Tinhead Ned]

Well, I'd say in this case you've got a legit reason to make a copy. As long as you don't make any more copies, and don't give that copy to anyone else, you should be within legal boundaries.

Back in the day, it actually used to be recommended that you make copies of your game discs to play (floppies, not CDs), and keep the originals in a safe place. I'm not sure how this stands these days, however.

[sev]

It stands same way.

So, TribeHasSpoken make 2 copies for your own use I myself never use original media, I right away copy its contents to my HD and then secure the original in some safe place.


Eugene

[Kaminari]

Depending on where you live, backup copies are perfectly legitimate. For example, the French law allows the user of any medium (music, movie, game) to create a backup copy for personal use. You can even bring companies to the court if they lock their products with anticopy protections which make the creation of a backup copy impossible.

For the time being, DRM techniques are in violation of the right to private copies, but that could change with the upcoming and controversial DADVSI bill.