Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

NAMCO Takes Down Student Pac-man Project

Posted by Soulskill on from the chasing-ghosts dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The core of how people first learn to do stuff — programming, music, writing, etc. — is to imitate others. It's one of the best ways to learn. Apparently a bunch of students using MIT's educational Scratch programming language understand this. But not everyone else does. NAMCO Bandai sent a takedown notice to MIT because some kids had recreated Pac-man with Scratch. The NAMCO letter is pretty condescending as well, noting that it understands the educational purpose of Scratch, but 'part of their education should include concern for the intellectual property of others.'"

3 of 218 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Play for free? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Look at the source of the page:

    "PAC-MAN's 30th Birthday! Doodle with PAC-MAN & ©1980 NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc."

    Perhaps Google actually worked with NAMCO?

  2. More information! by acomj · · Score: 5, Informative

    This page is a detailed history of Pac Man, including history and information on the different ghosts move algorithms and speed changes... I find it interesting... Read it while you can, its hosted on comcast.....

    http://home.comcast.net/~jpittman2/pacman/pacmandossier.html

  3. Re:Play for free? by Yvanhoe · · Score: 4, Informative

    Google did exactly that : http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-20005528-52.html

    --
    The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.