DRM wars (Steam, Origin, Starforce, Battle.net, installation limits, etc...)


rygD said:
What is really troubling to me is that people don't see the problems of Windows and other MS products...and could probably find some that fall into more serious categories,...
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Why not enlighten the uninitiated ?
 
thatgui said:
Why not enlighten the uninitiated ?
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Are you asking me to tell you how they make people pay to beta test for them, "trap" non-techy types into using their products or else possibly losing data (and even sticking with MS can be problematic there), or all of the issues with Windows 10 that can be found in another thread here?

If you mean do something about it myself, I try to explain all of this to people, and many people don't care, with their complacency keeping them with what is already known instead of trying to learn something new (yet when the next version of whatever comes out they often have to learn new stuff anyway). I won't harass people, and most don't want to hear it.
 
LEDified_Cyborg said:
So what does a guy do? Buy game license off Steam for older games that can be run without it, download a "No-CD" game patch and use the Steam license on it instead of some game crack because it'll now be legit, whether I copied it from a friends media or downloaded the image off the Internet makes no difference. Sometimes the DRM stripped games can actually run on Linux too. But it's baaad/"illegal" even though we do this with ROMS.
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Worst of two worlds:
Voting for DRM with your wallet and then doing something illegal because you don't want DRM.
That's how a (shitty) status quo is maintained.

If there's no DRM-free offline installer: I don't buy it.
If there's a DRM-free Windows port (usually on GoG) but only a DRMed Linux port (usually on Steam): I don't buy it.
If the dev thinks it's a great idea to charge Polish people thrice as much as Russians (and other absurdities of regional pricing): I don't buy it.
I'm no pirate either and yet I miraculously have a huge backlog (as in: hundreds) of great games gathered in the last years by completely legal and morally unproblematic means, isn't that fabulous?
 
TrashyMG said:
@Klumpen, so you're saying you don't buy much games.
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I wish... my backlog is still growing (although I'm finishing a lot atm).
GOG has released some more games without regional pricing (apart from the ridiculous Russian discount) in the last two days on their sale and some have always interested me. I've bought some for WinXP too when there didn't seem to be a Linux port around elsewhere anyway since if they don't work with WINE, I still got XP around.
I don't even manage to finish most of the games in the Humble Indie Bundle before the next one is out and they aren't coming so often.

I have absolutely no idea why people think they need Steam/Origin/Uplay/etc...
 
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TrashyMG said:
Not trying to single anyone out, but I find it funny that many people that complain about DRM issues have no issues using Windows.

Personally I like what Valve has been doing to bring some games to Linux, I would be stuck with playing games exclusively on playstation or using WINE on my older games with varying results. Not saying there is not some downsides to DRM or the steam purchasing model, I just like being able to some of these commercial games on the OS I like using. I have more of an issue giving Microsoft money for crap products then dealing with some intrusive copy protection on commercial software.
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Amusement at complaining about DRM when running on DRM on the bottom, when actively running DRM atop that.

If you wiped the windows of your glass house you could truly rock the emperors clothes.

thatgui said:
I find it troubling that you seem to have deep rooting issues with windows. But leaving that aside what on *superhumanbeeingofyourchoice* green earth gave you the idea, that this comparison makes any sense at all ?
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The rooting issues are in your court.

Because it is the most DRM-ed desktop OS there is. Producing its own formats, programs made by its own languages, with its own interpreters, and compilers, protected by its own patents.
Refusing to play along, and launching attack after attack to eradicate alternative anything, from the hardware up.

And topping off by not only honouring software freedoms, but doing everything in its power to thwart them.
 
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I actively refuse to use any sort of audio/video software that either requires a dongle or always-on nanny software. Such things are only a hindrance to honest folks whose workstations could better use those resources for an extra MIDI controller or CPU cycles.
 
Klumpen said:
https://blog.vellumatlanta.com/2016/05/04/apple-stole-my-music-no-seriously/

In short:
Apple Music deleted 122GB of music files from this bloke's laptop hard disk without asking him.
Among them weren't only files bought from Apple but also files he ripped from his CDs and music he composed/created himself.
Apple confirmed that this is how the software is supposed to work.
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Ouch! That's a new low even by Apple's standard.

I hate it when RMS is right. Unfortunately, he is right more often than not these days :(
 
Klumpen said:
https://blog.vellumatlanta.com/2016/05/04/apple-stole-my-music-no-seriously/

In short:
Apple Music deleted 122GB of music files from this bloke's laptop hard disk without asking him.
Among them weren't only files bought from Apple but also files he ripped from his CDs and music he composed/created himself.
Apple confirmed that this is how the software is supposed to work.
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Not that I like the situation, but you should specify that the files are only removed from the PC after being automatically uploaded to the cloud...

so the files are not lost, but you must listen to them only by streaming... every single time...
 
PowerGod said:
Not that I like the situation, but you should specify that the files are only removed from the PC after being automatically uploaded to the cloud...

so the files are not lost, but you must listen to them only by streaming... every single time...
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Not always. If I understood correctly, the files are "matched" to the file already in the cloud... So if meta-data match enough, you can loose a special version of a song and get a generic version instead.
 
oh, right, tl;dr :p

If a match like that was used in videogames there could have been only a pokemon color around !! :D
 
Flight Sim Labs included malware in one of their downloadable jets for Flight Simulator X and called it DRM
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/02/19/flight-sim-group-put-malware-in-a-jet-and-called-it-drm/
http://www.infosecisland.com/blogvi...ys-about-Distributing-a-Virus-or-Malware.html

“… there seems to be a file called ‘test.exe’ included. This .exe file… is touted as a ‘Chrome Password Dump’ tool, which seems to work – particularly as the installer would typically run with Administrative rights (UAC prompts) on Windows Vista and above.”
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Well, all DRM is malware, but not all malware is DRM. So they are almost correct, yet totally wrong.
 
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