I cannot find an answer to this question :?: (Downloading old abandoned VST)

[pixelizer]

Hello everyone,
I cannot find an answer to this question.
Do I have the right to give users of my site (virtualsynthesizers.com), the opportunity to download from the site a VST 2013 that was sold by a company that no longer exists and that we can not contact. This VST is Beat Kangz - Beat Thang Virtual.
What to do?

[planetearth]

Hello everyone,
I cannot find an answer to this question.
Do I have the right to give users of my site (virtualsynthesizers.com), the opportunity to download from the site a VST 2013 that was sold by a company that no longer exists and that we can not contact. This VST is Beat Kangz - Beat Thang Virtual.
What to do?

Technically, no. Not unless the plug-in was released as open source, as some developers have done in the last few years. But you didn't mention that, so....

Do with that information what you will.

Steve

[pixelizer]

Hello everyone,
I cannot find an answer to this question.
Do I have the right to give users of my site (virtualsynthesizers.com), the opportunity to download from the site a VST 2013 that was sold by a company that no longer exists and that we can not contact. This VST is Beat Kangz - Beat Thang Virtual.
What to do?

Technically, no. Not unless the plug-in was released as open source, as some developers have done in the last few years. But you didn't mention that, so....

Do with that information what you will.

Steve

Hello PlanetEarth:),
Thank you for your reply,
Indeed I do not know if it became open source, I have not found any information about this for this VST.

[planetearth]

Hello everyone,
I cannot find an answer to this question.
Do I have the right to give users of my site (virtualsynthesizers.com), the opportunity to download from the site a VST 2013 that was sold by a company that no longer exists and that we can not contact. This VST is Beat Kangz - Beat Thang Virtual.
What to do?

Technically, no. Not unless the plug-in was released as open source, as some developers have done in the last few years. But you didn't mention that, so....

Do with that information what you will.

Steve

I'm not familiar with that particular plug-in, but no doubt someone on KVR will be. Maybe they'll know whether it was released as open source or not.

I thought you site was going to be a list of virtual synths, though. Are you hosting some there, too?

Steve


Hello PlanetEarth:),
Thank you for your reply,
Indeed I do not know if it became open source, I have not found any information about this for this VST.

[Ah_Dziz]

If it is still hosted somewhere just link to it. If it isn't hosted and they didn't explicitly open the license (the files you have should contain a license that should say whether you can legally redistribute their product) then distributing it is technically illegal. That's just how IP works.

I'd imagine that if anything was going to trigger action on the part of the owners of the software, it would be hosting it for free download. Was the software only originally available to owners of the hardware?

Edit: I wouldn't host it without permission from the company. Unnecessary risk.

[pixelizer]

Hello everyone,
I cannot find an answer to this question.
Do I have the right to give users of my site (virtualsynthesizers.com), the opportunity to download from the site a VST 2013 that was sold by a company that no longer exists and that we can not contact. This VST is Beat Kangz - Beat Thang Virtual.
What to do?

Technically, no. Not unless the plug-in was released as open source, as some developers have done in the last few years. But you didn't mention that, so....

Do with that information what you will.

Steve

I'm not familiar with that particular plug-in, but no doubt someone on KVR will be. Maybe they'll know whether it was released as open source or not.

I thought you site was going to be a list of virtual synths, though. Are you hosting some there, too?

Steve


Hello PlanetEarth:),

Indeed I do not know if it became open source, I have not found any information about this for this VST.

Thank you steve for your help,
The concept of the site consists in making available to users, references available on the web, virtual alternatives (free and paid), of hardware instruments. The user must be able to find it directly through a link. The problem is that for this vst and 2 or 3 others, I do not know what link to make available to users so they can access it.
Especially if it is interesting or the only one to give a virtual alternative to a hardware.
Thomas

[pixelizer]

I am French and use a translation site to speak in English. I hope to be as clear as possible

[Shabdahbriah]

Unless the original developer made it available for free at some point since ceasing development, OR made it open source, you should not host a copy of it. Even the links that are online currently are sketchy at best (several cracks), and I would recommend avoiding them. [2c]

[pixelizer]

If it is still hosted somewhere just link to it. If it isn't hosted and they didn't explicitly open the license (the files you have should contain a license that should say whether you can legally redistribute their product) then distributing it is technically illegal. That's just how IP works.

I'd imagine that if anything was going to trigger action on the part of the owners of the software, it would be hosting it for free download. Was the software only originally available to owners of the hardware?

Edit: I wouldn't host it without permission from the company. Unnecessary risk.

Hi Ah_Dziz ,
No, it is no longer hosted anywhere except on hack sites.
You’re right, I won’t take that risk.
Thank you for your help.

[Shabdahbriah]

Unless the original developer made it available for free at some point since ceasing development, OR made it open source, you should not host a copy of it. Even the links that are online currently are sketchy at best (several cracks), and I would recommend avoiding them. [2c]

addendum: Sorry I was off doing the research to respond, and didn't refresh the page before posting, so did not see this, which basically covers it as well... the software was available separately @129.00, as well as coming with the hardware:

If it is still hosted somewhere just link to it. If it isn't hosted and they didn't explicitly open the license (the files you have should contain a license that should say whether you can legally redistribute their product) then distributing it is technically illegal. That's just how IP works.

I'd imagine that if anything was going to trigger action on the part of the owners of the software, it would be hosting it for free download. Was the software only originally available to owners of the hardware?

Edit: I wouldn't host it without permission from the company. Unnecessary risk.

[pixelizer]

Unless the original developer made it available for free at some point since ceasing development, OR made it open source, you should not host a copy of it. Even the links that are online currently are sketchy at best (several cracks), and I would recommend avoiding them. [2c]

addendum: Sorry I was off doing the research to respond, and didn't refresh the page before posting, so did not see this, which basically covers it as well... the software was available separately @129.00, as well as coming with the hardware:

If it is still hosted somewhere just link to it. If it isn't hosted and they didn't explicitly open the license (the files you have should contain a license that should say whether you can legally redistribute their product) then distributing it is technically illegal. That's just how IP works.

I'd imagine that if anything was going to trigger action on the part of the owners of the software, it would be hosting it for free download. Was the software only originally available to owners of the hardware?

Edit: I wouldn't host it without permission from the company. Unnecessary risk.

Exactly, It was a paid VST.
Thank you for your help

[Ah_Dziz]

Certainly.

[crimsonwarlock]

Just take KVR as an example, and list those plugins as discontinued.

[Teksonik]

If a plugin is no longer available and no longer under development then there is no good reason to use it now so just ignore that plugin.

There is probably a good reason the plugin died, (lack of consumer interest, developer moved on orphaning the code, it was buggy, etc).

That plugin is probably going to be more problematic than practical in daily use.

Bottom line is just respect the intellectual property rights of others and you'll be on solid legal and ethical grounds.

[pixelizer]

If a plugin is no longer available and no longer under development then there is no good reason to use it now so just ignore that plugin.

There is probably a good reason the plugin died, (lack of consumer interest, developer moved on orphaning the code, it was buggy, etc).

That plugin is probably going to be more problematic than practical in daily use.

Bottom line is just respect the intellectual property rights of others and you'll be on solid legal and ethical grounds.

I agree with you. Your argument is well-reasoned. Thank you.