I'm currently porting 7kaa to emscripten. I decided to port DOSBOX to emscripten in next step, but there's many port of DOSBOX to emscripten actually.

I have two ideas:
1. Allow to rent collection of DOS Games.
2. Allow to play them via network, using emscripten version of DOSBOX.

What do you think about my two ideas?

B: As seen on internet Archive, there already exists online implementation for DOSbox.
A: How would rent work?

It is illegal to rent out software you own, check the Eula on any of your games, unless specifically stated, the licence is for one user. Why would you want to? If its just for a technical challenge then should be fine, if you intend to make money then prepare for a whole legal nightmare.

It's quiet possible the OP could be talking about something he/she has made/invented.Then again....

If its own IP then no problem, I would however be surprised if some was developing their own games.to run through dosbox.

Some of those games are teeny weeny little buggers.

By writing of renting game, I have in mind GOG.com could rent group of DOS game like Origin does. Origin allow to buy licenses for games or buy origin access for paying some price per month. Origin access gives access to some games, beta tests, etc.

The bold is very contradictory. Either you own the software and can do whatever you want with it, or you have a license to do whatever the owner lets you do (which may very well be "whatever the hell you want", for example see the WTFPL).

Lol, this is against everything GOG stands for. When you buy a game on GOG you get the files and then you can keep them forever.

I have a better idea. Add a demo/shareware version.

My comic relief for the day. XD

There are several sites that offers dos games through the web browser, and most of these hangs in sort of a grey area.

So my question is; which dos games are you thinking of renting out?

Most early dos games are now considered abondonware - although some might still have a tie to an IP/company, which may or may not go after you if you haven't sorted out the licenses for those games. They might not like that you profits from those games. (I'm sure you already know this, but someone else who's reading this might not.)

And even with or without the right - why would anyone rent when they could just buy them AND own them (some that is). Or even get them for free elsewhere. The biggest problem with renting like steam etc, is that if that service goes down, so does the ability to play that game.

My answer to nr 1; I don't think there's any marked for that, but the second one is actually a good idea. Too bad very few dos games supports multiplayer/networking natively, even fewer through certain hacks or ports.

I'm living in Poland. I have bachelor IT degree. My law teacher told me, there's no abondware software. You can't do whatever you want with software if some period elapsed until that software was released. Maybe in Poland we have different law.

About renting software:
- I prefer to buy rather normal license, but retaining is better approach for steam

About demo version:
- Steam gives money back guarantee, so there's no reasons for demo version

I didn't say controversial, but contradictory. For example, Valve are the ones who own the games Portal and Half-Life, not those millions who purchased licenses to install and play the games. Sometimes ownership is divided among multiple companies or people. It's not illegal to make available (in whatever form you wish, and to whomever you wish) a game you own, since, you know, you own it, the game is your property, you can provide licenses to people as you wish so that they, too, can enjoy the game.