Dark Bit Factory & Gravity

GENERAL => General chat => Topic started by: slinks on August 24, 2011

Title: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: slinks on August 24, 2011

A few weeks ago, Atari had a managerial shake-up and appointed a load of new executives to the company. And the companies next large action out of the gates?

http://www.geek.com/articles/games/atari-is-demanding-domain-names-from-its-own-fan-sites-20110824/

http://www.8bitrocket.com/2011/08/23/atari-pulls-out-the-lawyers-and-threatens-to-sue-hobbyists/

That's right, slap takedown notices on a couple of homebrew sites and demand the domain names.

One of the sites, Atari2600.org was an invaluable resourse for people wanting to play around with this old hardware (A few of my friends still have one knocking about, so I've been able to have myself a little play :) )

Anyone here code anything for the atari, or know what's going on with its demoscene atm?
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: padman on August 24, 2011
Lol, oh my. What a bunch of fuckwits. But hey, maybe they need that domain name for a 2k11 version of the Atari 2600.  ;D What a clever move that would be! Just like the C64/PC bastard nobody needs...



Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: ferris on August 24, 2011
Well this is fun. I'd like to see where this goes :)
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: combatking0 on August 24, 2011
So, instead of innovation, it looks like the current Atari leaders want to re-release their old games. That's fine. But alienating many of the people who would be interested in such a compilation?

Not a good move.

I saw a website once where somebody chopped up an old 2600 and (with the parts from a hand-held TV) built a hand-held gaming system out of it. Is that illegal too now?
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: Shockwave on August 24, 2011
I don't know what legal right Atari have over these domain names.

If I'd owned Atari2600.org I would have said "give me some money or fuck off".


Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: hellfire on August 24, 2011
I'm wondering if Infogrames (who bought the name "Atari" in the late 90s) even has any claims for the vcs 2600...
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: Dr_D on August 24, 2011
Man, this is just sad. They should be elated that people are still messing around with that old system!
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: Hotshot on August 25, 2011
Quote
If I'd owned Atari2600.org I would have said "give me some money or fuck off".

I agree and fuck em!  :diablo:  :boxer:

Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: Rbz on August 26, 2011
Next target: Atari cracktro remakes!

(Run Padman, run)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKq8zJPBjQg[/youtube]
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: padman on August 26, 2011
Oh well, I ain't afraid of no suit-wearing butt-holes. Bring 'em on! ;D

(Btw, great choice of music mate! haha)

Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: Shockwave on August 26, 2011
@RBZ That was random and cool!
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: combatking0 on August 26, 2011
The only problem with having a domain name which someone wants you to hand over, and then asking for money for it, is that the prosecuting party can claim that you're a "cyber squatter".

Although, it is perfectly reasonable to ask for the price of the domain name without being labelled as a squatter.

One such case was Mike Rowe, who a while back, registered the domain name "mikerowesoft.com". Bill gates wasn't happy.
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: Dr_D on August 26, 2011
lol... very clever.  :||
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: slinks on August 27, 2011
Lol, oh my. What a bunch of fuckwits. But hey, maybe they need that domain name for a 2k11 version of the Atari 2600.  ;D What a clever move that would be! Just like the C64/PC bastard nobody needs...

I don't care how overpriced and unnecessary it is, if I had $600, I'd be first in line [/shame]
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: Moroboshisan on August 28, 2011
maybe they're plannin to release something like DTV-something or resembling a cheap handheld console like this: http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-lobg-71-8y-49-en-84-j-70-3532.html (http://www.play-asia.com/SOap-23-83-lobg-71-8y-49-en-84-j-70-3532.html)
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: padman on August 28, 2011
Such a thing already exists. ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Flashback (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Flashback)
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: combatking0 on August 29, 2011
This fan project still has a certain appeal:

http://benheck.com/original-atari-2600-vcsp
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: Pixel_Outlaw on September 03, 2011

This is nothing new considering how bad Atari was to begin with.
Their biggest thing has always been secrecy. In the early days of Atari they refused to give the designers and programmer credits for their work.
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: Pot Noodle on September 04, 2011
I bet Atari are thinking of bringing out a disc player and calling it a laser disc!  ;D
Title: Re: Atari declares war on home-brew
Post by: Shockwave on September 04, 2011
This fan project still has a certain appeal:

http://benheck.com/original-atari-2600-vcsp

That site is a really interesting read :)  Thanks for posting it CK.