# c++ Validity

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-validity/129960>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 28, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-validity/129960 "2002-09-28T00:26:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Deep\_Throat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@Deep\_Throat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deep_Throat)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-validity/129960/1 "2002-09-28T00:26:37Z")

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Hey all…

I went to a garage sale the other day and bought a box of computer junk that some guy was getting rid of. In it were a couple of “blank” CD-R’s. On one of the CD’s was Borland’s c++ builder v3. Now, where does this fall under copyright law. Am I permitted to use it still? How recent is the edition, and is the c++ language still the same if that version of the builder is out of date?

I remember hearing some story once about a certain amount of time when computer software becomes freeware becuase it’s so old. Any thoughts on this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks dopers!

Karp2381

-_What’s up LT Robbins?_-

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2002, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-validity/129960/2 "2002-09-28T00:39:39Z")

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It is in no way legit.

Copyright periods are now so long that any copyrighted PC program is still under copyright. It only becomes free if the copyright owner says it is. (It does happen. The co. that bought out Quarterdeck has made _some_ old programs free.)

There is no such thing as “abandonware”.

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**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2002, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-validity/129960/3 "2002-09-28T00:41:32Z")

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Does it have the hardcopy license agreement with it? (the original, not a photocopy) If not, it likely is illegal, although likely impossible to _prove_ either way.

While the _language_ has not changed appreciably, the APIs and interface have changed tremendously since then. It will likely work OK for most simple projects you would do, but if you wanted the newest tricks and things (ActiveX stuff, major SQL interfacing, more advanced and better GUI tools, etc.) then you would want the newest version.

The “story” about computer software being “freeware” because it is old is misleading. Commerical software is still subject to copyright laws, and I don’t believe any software you can run on a PC or a Mac is even half as old as would be required to have its copyright expire via simple timing.

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**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2002, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/c-validity/129960/4 "2002-09-28T04:48:31Z")

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C++Builder 3 is way out of date. The latest version I’ve used is 5, and some of the improvements are headers/components for ActiveX, headers for Windows 2000 features, and a better IDE (e.g. argument completion).

These days, copyrights don’t expire for at least 70 years. ☹ By the time any copyrighted software has lapsed into the public domain, you’ll have to go to a museum to find a computer that can run it.