Proof

[Yoyoman]

Can you give me complete proof that dumping your Wii and GameCube games aren't piracy? Please?

[DrOmega]

Because you bought them, and now you own them, if it's a backup for PERSONAL usage it is legal, pretty simple.

[Dan_Tsukasa]

Can you give me complete proof that dumping your Wii and GameCube games aren't piracy? Please?

Are you looking for something akin to a piece of Legal legislature?
Or just a general response, because a lot of people are going to point out the common sense side of things, that just like its legal with music (was announced to be legal with music and DVDs a while back) that making backup copies of your purchased content is to be just that, a backup copy, distribution of anything of that sort is illegal.

The answer will also vary from country to country, the music and dvds thing i just mentioned was made legal in the UK last year, no idea about other countries though.

[Yoyoman]

The reason why I'm asking is because I'm trying to prove to a friend that dumping games aren't piracy.

[Sonicadvance1]

Dumping games isn't illegal.
Downloading games that you own on the other hand is illegal.

[Dan_Tsukasa]

Dumping games isn't illegal.
Downloading games that you own on the other hand is illegal.

I have to admit, this is something I never quite got.
The person who shares the file, criminal yes, the person who downloads the file, not criminal IMHO.

Yes there is the technicality that 1 persons game is code 74367 and another persons is 74639 (invented numbers obviously) so its not a backup of 'your' game, but a backup of someone elses, and I guess thats where the legality comes into it really.

But from an ethical standpoint, lets say this, Barry has a wii, Barry has Dolphin, Barry owns some Zelda game on wii (I don't know any zelda titles right now, not a fan), but #Barry doesn't have a DVD drive that reads wii or GC discs. So barry finds a copy of that zelda game online. Has anyone lost money because of Barry? No, Has Barry committed a crime, technically yes, but I don't quite think thats right.

I mean sure its black and white in terms of how its considered, but why is it that way, I imagine its simply illegal because 1 person has to actually share content they do not own, otherwise another person couldn't download it.

[AnyOldName3]

Since when has copyright law been at all related to ethics? This isn't the 1800s.

[Buddybenj]

Dumping games isn't illegal.
Downloading games that you own on the other hand is illegal.

I have to admit, this is something I never quite got.
The person who shares the file, criminal yes, the person who downloads the file, not criminal IMHO.

Yes there is the technicality that 1 persons game is code 74367 and another persons is 74639 (invented numbers obviously) so its not a backup of 'your' game, but a backup of someone elses, and I guess thats where the legality comes into it really.

But from an ethical standpoint, lets say this, Barry has a wii, Barry has Dolphin, Barry owns some Zelda game on wii (I don't know any zelda titles right now, not a fan), but #Barry doesn't have a DVD drive that reads wii or GC discs. So barry finds a copy of that zelda game online. Has anyone lost money because of Barry? No, Has Barry committed a crime, technically yes, but I don't quite think thats right.

I mean sure its black and white in terms of how its considered, but why is it that way, I imagine its simply illegal because 1 person has to actually share content they do not own, otherwise another person couldn't download it.

Legality ≠ Ethicality

Dumping games: legal and ethical
Downloading games you own: illegal but ethical
Downloading games you do not own: illegal and unethical

[Xtreme2damax]

^ Yeah it may be ethical but it's illegal. If the project and site operated on ethics alone it would likely end up shut down. Copyright laws don't make much sense and only benefit making business richer and trampling rights of consumers but thems the breaks.

Nothing wrong making a backup yourself though even though publishers try to make that as difficult as possible due to drm. I think it's written in copyright law that you are entitled to make a backup. Sounds like your friend is deeply misinformed and likely would claim emulation is also illegal which it isn't.

[delroth]

Why do you care what you friend thinks?

This is not the right place to discuss legal issues. Ask a lawyer which will have authoritative information on the legality of dumping/downloading games in your country.