Windows 95 is Dead. We all know that Windows 95 is dead. Heck even Microsoft knows that windows 95 is dead. If I wanted to download a copy of windows 95 and run it on my computer, would I be in the ethical wrong side?
I wouldn't do that (who wants windows 95 lol), But would it be wrong?
Discuss

They still offer Windows 95? Good lord! I wouldn't try it because it may clash with some software on your computer and screw it up (Happened to me.). But back on topic.
I don't think you are on the ethical wrong side...unless you think you are.

If they don't sell W95 anymore, and if MS don't provide support for it anymore, methinks it's similar to abandonware issue...which legally falls into 'grey area', but ethically not wrong.

Why would you want to use 95 anyways? XP or Vista is was better.

I would say that its not legal OR ethical BUT noone would give a shit, you could tell bill gates in person and he'd say "computers can still run that thing??'"

Bill Gates would probably flip out and commit hara-kiri after he realized computers could still run that fossil.

I wouldn't do that (who wants windows 95 lol), But would it be wrong?
As others have said, it's still illegal as Microsoft own the IP and thus, the rights to sell or not sell the product. Unless they release it into the public domain with a suitable license, it'll never be legal or ethical to download or otherwise obtain an illegal version.
Of course, it's probably still legal to buy an original copy if you could find someone who would sell it to you for 1 cent -- especially if the product key is no longer in use (ie, the seller has removed it from their PCs) =)

Either do it or don't, it's very simple.
If you don't have a means to attain it and it isn't life sustaining you don't need it.
Be better then what's been given to you. Find another way and it will find you.

Well, I'm still using MS-DOS 6.20 on a partition of mine so sue me =)
They invented the term "abandonware" for this kind of "ethical" questions, anyway.... It has no legal basis but I think it's perfectly fine to deal with old, crappy, commercially useless software. Copyright? I say it accepting the responsibility: who-fu**ing-cares..... The "ethical" question here is how much important is the common good (ie. the chance to access old, abandoned software for archiving, preserving or historical questions) against the industry monopoly on the right to sell that software/product.

And whetrher or not anyone is being harmed by the piracy given the fact that you can't give the developers money in exchange for the product now anyway.

I fail to see the ethic issues in this. If you bought it legally somehow (be it years prior or recently), you have every right to run it. That they no longer offer support does not automatically make it ethically wrong.
People buy old stuff all the time that are no longer in production due to the manufacturer not being in business anymore or simply because newer and better stuff is out there already. Is it unethical to buy an antique? It would be unethical (or maybe illegal) to sell it, without warning the buyer there's no support for it and the thing might not work very well with current technology.

nah. i got pirated windows 98 installed cause i cannot run certain games without it. If they were selling it for ten bucks or something i would buy it (it is not worth more)...
they don't.
so no moral dilemma here.

It is against the law. To ethically break the law requires a very good reason, and I can't think of a reason Win95 would prevent loss of life or global catastrophe. Convenience is not a good reason. So yes, I believe it would be wrong.

Yes, go get the win7rc instead.