Abandonware Question

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Eilrahc

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I’ve been wondering about this, and it’s been difficult to get a straight answer from McAfee’s technical support.

Let’s say that someone owns a McAfee VirusScan software with the copy right date of 1995-2006. But around 2008, he made a disk copy of that software for his friend. Is that still illegal?
 
Eilrahc said:
I’ve been wondering about this, and it’s been difficult to get a straight answer from McAfee’s technical support.

Let’s say that someone owns a McAfee VirusScan software with the copy right date of 1995-2006. But around 2008, he made a disk copy of that software for his friend. Is that still illegal?
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If the copyright has expired then it is available for public use, however I don’t know of any software that has met its expiration date. What you are seeing most likely is the last release of that particular piece of software, that does not mean the copyright is still not in effect.

So yes it is technically illegal if you have not received permission from McAfee to freely distribute the software or McAfee hasn’t voluntarily relinquished its copyright on that software.
 
Eilrahc said:
I’ve been wondering about this, and it’s been difficult to get a straight answer from McAfee’s technical support.

Let’s say that someone owns a McAfee VirusScan software with the copy right date of 1995-2006. But around 2008, he made a disk copy of that software for his friend. Is that still illegal?
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The copyright date simply says that the material used was copyrighted from 1995 to 2006. That means that the copyright protection for some parts started in 1995 and for others in 2006 and it does not mean that the copyright protection was valid only from 1995 to 2006. I would assume that making copies and distributing them is a violation of the copyright laws, I say that because I am quite sure that something that was copyrighted in 2006 is still protected by those laws and it will be for a few years to come.
 
Never mind the fact that it’s illegal, it’s extremely unsafe! It’s worse than having no virus protection at all, because it will give you a false sense of security. Virus protection is an arms race with the white hats fighting against the advances of the black hats, and vice versa. Virus descriptions, and the software itself, must be constantly updated, because viruses and malware change rapidly, new ones are introduced, and some actually target the very software you use, making them invisible to it, or worse, disabling it entirely. Most of the security companies have acknowledged this, and now sell their software on more of a subscription basis than a purchase.

To give someone old virus software is like giving a skydiver a pack full of napkins.

However, your transgression happened four years ago, and it’s extremely unlikely anyone will prosecute you or even care that you did it. If you have not yet been to confession about it, go now and confess it once, and be forgiven and done with it.
 
Outdated AV software is about as useful as 10-years-expired antibiotics. Even if no sin were involved, it’s not worth copying.

ICXC NIKA
 
Abandonware doesn’t mean the copyright has expired. It means that the copyright owning company has gone out of business therefore abandoning the existing copyright.
 
Elizium23 said:
Never mind the fact that it’s illegal, it’s extremely unsafe!
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Yes, absolutely. Moreover, there are free antivirus programs which are regularly updated and consistently score well in reviews. For example, Avira or AVG Antivirus. If you are trying to save a few bucks, one of those programs would be the way to go.
 
Dale_M said:
Yes, absolutely. Moreover, there are **free antivirus programs **which are **regularly updated **and consistently score well in reviews. For example, Avira or AVG Antivirus. If you are trying to save a few bucks, one of those programs would be the way to go.
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This.

I would also add Microsoft Security Essentials to the mix (it is also free, regularly updated and well-reviewed). MS actually bought an antivirus company to be able to give it away without charge. Security is that important.
 
SonCatcher said:
This.

I would also add Microsoft Security Essentials to the mix (it is also free, regularly updated and well-reviewed). MS actually bought an antivirus company to be able to give it away without charge. Security is that important.
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Microsoft and “security” cannot exist in the same paragraph.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Microsoft and “security” cannot exist in the same paragraph.
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granted… but then again, security by obscurity is not a valid information protection practice either… so Mac and security aren’t exactly buddies either…🤷
 
BTW, OP, as a point of fact, McAfee Antivirus is not an abandoned product. It continues to be their main product. You are asking about an old version. Old versions are not “abandoned” because companies stop updating them in favor of new versions. They are, rather, superseded. Anyone wanting continued support would be advised to update their software.
 
Regardless Microsoft Security Essentials is a very good (and free) anti-virus software. It can capture malware that even McAfee misses, regardless if you want to be uber-sure then you should get Malwarebytes or MSE along with some other anti-virus program…or not up to you, but 2 is better than one when it comes to virus scanning.
 
austenbosten said:
Regardless Microsoft Security Essentials is a very good (and free) anti-virus software. It can capture malware that even McAfee misses, regardless if you want to be uber-sure then you should get Malwarebytes or MSE along with some other anti-virus program…or not up to you, but 2 is better than one when it comes to virus scanning.
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👍 I prefer Microsoft Security Essentials over everything else I’ve had in the past.

So far they have not introduced a bug with a version updated that made your computer not be able to lease an IP address thus making internet/networking stop functioning, unlike other software. coughMcAfeecough
 
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