Comments on: Friday LinkSwap: Boing Boing Gadgets

By: phuzz

phuzz — Sat, 24 May 2008 08:32:46 +0000

It’s not illegal to write software for a device you own, but if you have to break some kind of copy protection to load it onto the device, then you’re breaking the DMCA (in places where it applies).
Aren’t we lucky the gov is here to save us from ourselves :)

By: Dinger

Dinger — Sat, 24 May 2008 07:16:43 +0000

There ain’t nothing wrong or illegal about writing your own games for the hardware you own. Companies can sell you something, but they can’t legally or ethically dictate to you how to use it, as much as they may try.

although in this case:

i … spend a lot of time on a bus which i’d like to spend playing some sort of stripped down medieval clone

Two things: if you’re going to be doing homebrew, I’d recommend starting with a simple project first, like implementing a shift key and punctuation marks on your stylus-keyboard. (sorry, I just couldn’t resist.)

Second, if you want to play a stripped-down medieval clone on the bus, may I recommend:
A. Wrap your loins in flaxen cloth.
B. Get on bus
C. Repeat, “Hec essentia mea est etiam essentia alii, distincta numeraliter sed non personaliter.” Don’t be a n00b: pronounce it Hec and not Haec. Please note that this is if you want to be a 13th-century clone. A 12th-century clone would need a cedilla on the E in Hec, and a more Augustinian formulation.

By: James

James — Sat, 24 May 2008 07:08:28 +0000

That Fallout case mod is brilliant. I wish I had one…

By: Ben Abraham

Ben Abraham — Sat, 24 May 2008 05:28:55 +0000

But that wasn’t his argument, Ben.

But it was a part of his rationale for playing a Total War Clone on DS.

I’m not *actually* against any of this (I am actually all for homebrew) but I think that if you’re going to do something illegal, don’t try and pretend that it’s okay just because you think it shouldn’t be.

May I instead recommend doing it “in spite of” it’s respective illegality?

By: Beschizza

Beschizza — Sat, 24 May 2008 04:24:14 +0000

But that wasn’t his argument, Ben.

By: Ben Abraham

Ben Abraham — Sat, 24 May 2008 00:44:09 +0000

i think i should be allowed to do it cause i like total war and spend a lot of time on a bus

Ooh, the old “I want to – so I should be able to” argument.

By: thesombrerokid

thesombrerokid — Fri, 23 May 2008 22:19:30 +0000

ds homebrew isn’t just about piracy i’m currently righting a stripped down total war clone for the ds which i wouldn’t be able to do without the homebrew scene and i think i should be allowed to do it cause i like total war and spend a lot of time on a bus which i’d like to spend playing some sort of stripped down medieval clone

By: Pidesco

Pidesco — Fri, 23 May 2008 21:35:52 +0000

Can we have the first RPS party in Jim’s Nazi Porn Dungeon?

Jim is in the House of Lords, then?

By: Meat Circus

Meat Circus — Fri, 23 May 2008 20:31:23 +0000

Can we have the first RPS party in Jim’s Nazi Porn Dungeon?