Homebrew FAQ: Is freeShop legal?

[Funkymon]

Literally all homebrew does that, calls services that weren't meant to be public. Whether it's the DSP, FS, or AM.

Right, but in this case it helps bypass controls meant to restrict who gets access to software. Which puts it in violation of the DMCA. There's no loophole here. It bypass's Nintendo's controls that prevent piracy. That's the whole point of the Act.

 

[The Catboy]

It also has the eshops music in it which is illegal

This is actually a completely optional feature and not part of the stock install. If you install freeShop without dumping the DSP, it will not come with any sound.
Basically it is completely up to the user to decide if they want to dump the DSP or not. Again, much like using illegal titlekeys.

 

[Drakia]

Right, but in this case it helps bypass controls meant to restrict who gets access to software. Which puts it in violation of the DMCA. There's no loophole here. It bypass's Nintendo's controls that prevent piracy. That's the whole point of the Act.

No, it doesn't, FreeShop bypasses nothing. FreeShop uses the services on the 3DS to install a ticket/title, if anything breaks the DMCA it is CFW for bypassing signature checks, not Freeshop for telling the 3DS to install something. Try running FreeShop on a system with signature checks enabled and get back to me on how well it bypasses the controls meant to restrict access to software.

 

[SoslanVanWieren]

No, it doesn't, FreeShop bypasses nothing. FreeShop uses the services on the 3DS to install a ticket/title, if anything breaks the DMCA it is CFW for bypassing signature checks, not Freeshop for telling the 3DS to install something. Try running FreeShop on a system with signature checks enabled and get back to me on how well it bypasses the controls meant to restrict access to software.

You need cfw in the first place to run it though otherwise its useless so that means you need to break DMCA to use it or its just useless code

 

[Joom]

You need cfw in the first place to run it though otherwise its useless so that means you need to break DMCA to use it or its just useless code

That's exactly what he said.

 

[SoslanVanWieren]

Still he made it so you can put a title keys URL in there people would use that to pirate he made it for piracy he just did not say that it was so it would be allowed on GBA temp you don't know what he was thinking when he was making the freeshop

 

[Joom]

Still he made it so you can put a title keys URL in there people would use that to pirate

Yeah, and torrent clients can download illegal content as well. Are they themselves illegal? Nope. freeShop isn't responsible for what people do with it.

 

[The Catboy]

Still he made it so you can put a title keys URL in there people would use that to pirate

This is becoming a dead horse, but I will say it again. Just because it can be used for piracy, doesn't make it illegal. By this argument, Google is an illegal service because I can use it for piracy. My web browser is illegal because I can download pirated software with it. Torrent downloaders are illegal because they can be used for piracy.
He made it so you an supply your own server and maintain your titlekeys for your server. What url are you put in there is completely, 100% depend on the user.

 

[SoslanVanWieren]

Yeah, and torrent clients can download illegal content as well. Are they themselves illegal? Nope. freeShop isn't responsible for what people do with it.

Yeah but look at the name freeshop not redownload shop

 

[The Catboy]

Yeah but look at the name freeshop not redownload shop

FreeShop
Free Software+eShop
He never once said the meaning of the meaning behind the name. So once again, completely on you to decide what it means.

 

[SoslanVanWieren]

But considering he has done very illegal things why would you think he made it for legal purposes

 

[Drakia]

You need cfw in the first place to run it though otherwise its useless so that means you need to break DMCA to use it or its just useless code

You need CFW, you do NOT need signature patches to use it, technically speaking

 

[Joom]

But considering he has done very illegal things why would you think he made it for legal purposes

That's a fallacy. "X is Y because X".

 

[The Catboy]

But considering he has done very illegal things why would you think he made it for legal purposes

His actual crimes are not relevant here and it's become very apparent that you haven't even attempted to read past the title of the thread

Disclaimer!​

I don't normally add tags like to a thread, but I feel it's necessary for the subtopic I have to include to eliminate the rumors around TheCruel's situation. What happened to him has no connection to freeShop nor any of his other projects. However not including this detail would be a disservice to freeShop. That being said, this is not the topic to talk about TheCruel nor his crimes. Any further comments must be post in the separate thread made for that topic. Any and all comments related to his crimes will be treated as off topic and reported. If that thread is locked and or removed, that does not open the door to bring the conversation to this thread. This will be the only warning I will give.
Right! We all good now?

I made it very clear straight from the start that his crimes are completely off topic and twice you've brought them up. His actual crimes do not relate to freeShop.
Regardless of his intentions for freeShop, I am looking at the actual surface of the program. "What is freeShop? It's an open-source homebrew eShop alternative for the Nintendo 3DS. It allows you to browse and install titles you own utilizing title keys."
There's no mention of illegal keys, no suggestions, hinting, implying, nor even supplying illegal keys. It does not support, endorse, nor even recommend using illegal keys. Even in his thread he tended to ignore comments related to that keysite. So even if he did intend for it to be used for piracy, he did make public nor did he include with his software.

 

[Deleted User]

The freeshop app itself may be legal,but the URL used with it is kind of questionable.You can't even post it here so it must be somewhat illegal.

 

[SoslanVanWieren]

Yes the app is legal but most people will use it for piracy very few use it to download games they own

 

[Joom]

Yes the app is legal but most people will use it for piracy very few use it to download games they own

That's not the point. The legality of the application itself is what's in question, and the answer has been beaten into the ground all the way to China.

 

[SoslanVanWieren]

why would people care if the programs legal or not it was was not legal it would not be on gbatemp and if people are gonna use it for piracy anyway they won't care if the programs legal or not

 

[The Catboy]

Yes the app is legal but most people will use it for piracy very few use it to download games they own

Same with google chrome

 

[Osakasan]

Sorry to say this but the entire OP is a load of bulls***

Twist it as much as you want, freeShop it's entirely built over illegality

If it were simply a new, simpler and faster eShop layout it would be nice by itself, but it's designed over piracy. You can download tickets from it, wich also allows to download any game from the original eShop for free.

And yes, i'm a freeshop user, but that doesn't stop me from seeing as what it is: A tool designed for piracy.