What computer/OS are you using?

[Red-Machine]

It's not abandonware, Bells.  Microsoft would never do that.

[Chocofreak13]

yeees :\

[Bella]

It's not abandonware, Bells.  Microsoft would never do that.

If you can't go out to the store and buy it.... it's abandonware.

[Chocofreak13]

that makes linux abandonware. >:[

[Pitkin]

If it's not sold originally either, I wouldn't call it abandonware. ^^;

[Chocofreak13]

yeah. there needs to be more stringent criteria.

[Bella]

Abandonware HAS more stringent criteria - at least according to Wikipedia:

Abandonware are discontinued products for which no product support is available, or whose copyright ownership may be unclear for various reasons. Abandonware may be computer software or physical devices which are usually computerised in some fashion, such as personal computer games, productivity applications, utility software, or mobile phones.

Definitions of "abandoned" vary; generally it refers to a product that is no longer available for legal purchase, over the age where the product creator feels an obligation to continue to support it, or where Operating Systems or hardware platforms have evolved to such a degree that the creator feels continued support cannot be financially justified. Software companies and manufacturers may change their names, go bankrupt, enter into mergers, or cease to exist for a variety of reasons. When this happens, product rights are usually transferred to another company that may elect not to sell or support products acquired.

In most cases, software classed as abandonware is not in the public domain, as it has never had its original copyright revoked and some company or individual still owns exclusive rights. Therefore, sharing of such software is usually considered copyright infringement, though in practice copyright holders rarely enforce their abandonware copyrights.

TL;DR: Abandonware is any software that's discontinued by the manufacturer but is still under copyright.

[Pitkin]

I remember on an "abandonware" website I used to be on before OSC they had similar conditions as well:
1) 10 years since the original release,
2) Not available for purchase and
3) Not made by any on the list of companies who specifically had forbidden distributing them.

The 10-year requirement seemed quite superficial, but I guess it was to disallow flopped games released just a couple of years before.

[NejinOniwa]

Total Annihilation is a perfect example of it.
Made in '97 by Cavedog, which was bought by Atari after they went bankrupt; Atari wants nothing to do with the game's material (odd as fuck seeing as it was one of the greatest successes of all time when it comes to strategy gaming, and even gaming in general) and aren't doing or selling anything, and the copyrights are in a weird-ass limbo of Nobody Cares but We Own It so Get Off My Lawn.

Seems like it's gonna take a bit until we finally get a proper TA:2.

[Chocofreak13]

windows 7. -w-

[stewartsage]

Newly purchased Windows 95 OSR 2.1 disk, must find box to install it on.

[Bella]

Newly purchased Windows 95 OSR 2.1 disk, must find box to install it on.

AB;;LSKFLGGHJKSL

AWESOME.

[Nichi]

Windows 95 OSR 2.1

I have it, along with the retail upgrade version and OSR 2.5 (The one with USB support). Don't have them running on anything, though

[Red-Machine]

OSR 2.0 had USB support, along with AGP support.  They were both added in the USB Patch.

[Nichi]

Well, the disc actually said "Windows 95 with USB Support"; without having to download anything extra for it. Of course, it is kind of useless; since most USB drivers are designed for Windows 98 and up.