Private servers
Here on GosuGamers we have written a few articles about private Battle.net servers without any connection to Blizzard. One of the most popular clients to run such a server is BnetD. It allows you to configure an own fully functional server where players from all over the world can connect and enjoy the gaming at a more private place, where the feeling among players often is a lot better than in the regular Battle.net channels.
Blizzard claims violation
Blizzard have been aware of those kind of servers and have never liked them. For a long time they have tried to find a way to get the server hosters in some way. After a case in the U.S. Federal Court they have succeeded. The question to get an answer to was simply: - "Did the three software programmers that created the open source BnetD software violate the
Blizzard pointed out that that was the case. The giant company claims that the developers of BnetD violated the already mentioned DMCA and EULA which includes a section about “reverse engineering” – a way of discovering a program's source. This reverse engineering makes you able to see how a program is built. When you know that you can be able to create an emulator of the real one. That is what these guys have done.
EFF counsels the defendants
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) have been working as a co-counsel to the defendants during the process.
- Consumers have a right to choose where and when they want to use the products they buy. This ruling gives Blizzard the ability to force you to use their servers whether you want to or not. Copyright law was meant to promote competition and creative alternatives, not suppress them, says Jason Schultz, EFF staff attendant.
In his press release on the EFF site he writes that they will appeal the case and challenge the court’s ruling about creating alternative applications for legitimately purchased content can be forbidden.Far from over
All this is far from over. There are several organisations and lawyers that will fight for the freedom of the digital world. There are several
cases that do not differ very much from this. All of them will be gone trough several times to make sure what the defendants might be able to do to increase the chances to a win in court.
Only affects U.S.
In all this mess, we can be lucky that it after all only affects the United States. They can not do anything outside the States. The servers can continue everywhere else. Let’s all hope for the best possible solution here. Allow BnetD!
» Download the full court decision
Links
Electronic Frontier Foundation - Press release
Corante - News post
