abandonware Last modified: Tuesday, February 05, 2002
Software that is no longer being sold or supported by its publisher. Most abandonware is still considered illegal unless the publisher has re-released the software as freeware. U.S. copyright laws state that copyrights owned by corporations are valid for 75 years from the date the software was first published. So the current availability of a product is irrelevant to its copyrighted status. Unlike trademarks, copyrights are not considered abandoned if they are no longer enforced. Copyrights do not enter the public domain just because they are no longer commercially exploited or widely available.
•E-mail this definition to a colleague• For internet.com pages about abandonware . Also check out the following links! eSecurity Planet  A resource for daily information on e-security targeted to IT managers. The site provides users with information from a variety of sources, including experts at security product and services firms, and the consultants who follow the security industry. Legal Abandonware A directory of mostly gaming software that has been re-released as freeware.	Security Software public-domain software shareware warez Give Us Your Feedback