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Pirates are eating themselves!

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Pirates are eating themselves!

OH NO

from JoeUser Forums

In every ordered system in which it is allowed, some element or another at some point figures out it can cheat. Little kids start blaming things on their siblings, carnivores eat herbivores, and lawyers thieve from businessmen. Well, the same has happened within the software industry. Ok, I'll be the first to grant you that the music industry was never really creative in the first place. But people did want what it had to offer. In fact, they wanted crappy music enough to pay big money for a CD.

Well, usually cheaters are not such a huge problem. Usually, non-producers are a thorn in the side of progress, but not a serious impediment. Usually, however, does not apply this time. The internet is different because it gives organized powers no control over who can peep in on their ideas and content at each hop, skip, and router. They can't fight back! DRM is the one defense that creative people have, and Stardock has made a business, in part, out of not using it. Go figure.

So, it seems that the companies  working hard to produce and create can be driven extinct by a common pirate. Piracy destroys the incentive for producers to produce, and if it gets bad enough, companies will stop producing entirely. What I find most ironic about this particularly revolting peice of human nature is that the pirate never realizes that once the creative people stop making them free games, the pirates will go extinct, too.

465,352 views 185 replies
Reply #176 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The ones Hood stealed from didn't give much or anything for their people. And does this also mean you haven't got anything from the corporations you're stealing from? Finally, the ones Robin Hood gave the stuff to were suffering and starving to death

I take it you'll be the first to agree with a regressive tax rate where we tax the poor 50%, the middle incomes 30% and the rich 10% then, since if the poor can afford food that's all that matters? Anyway, come back when you understand the significance of relative poverty.
Reply #177 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The companies are simply trying to blame their sales problems on pirates, and therefore they get excessive DRM to prevent pirates.


While I don't like DRM as a method of preventing piracy, it is true that a lot of people will ignore ethics and legalities and get a free copy of the software if it's more convenient to get the free copy than it is to get a legit copy. Yes, a lot of people will pay for a game if it's more convenient to pay rather than steal.

The real hardcore thieves who will never pay for anything are pretty rare. More than likely, most thieves are "common criminals" who are willing to pay if it's inconvenient to steal it.

For the most part, it does come down to convenience. And yes, many types of DRM, especially the older stuff, made it pretty convenient to be a legitimate customer. So I would agree DRM tends to make the problem worse rather than better.

Personally, I don't think that we should give up on copyright protection technology completely - I think that we should avoid the old style DRM that punishes legitimate users so much, and emphasize technologies that give benefits to legitimate customers. This is what Valve and Stardock are doing. Their online store model makes buying legitimate software very convenient for most people.

I would rather download a crack to disable DRM rather than have to wait for it authenticate the game on the internet every time, or screw around with my system files.


Luckily, both Steam and Impulse/SDC avoid these forms of DRM. If I remember correctly, Stardock has a very strict policy of not messing with system files.

Both Steam and Impulse/SDC allow you to play games totally offline, and assuming the authors of the games don't add their own extra DRM, neither one of them requires an Internet connection to play games.

In addition, both XP and Vista have mechanisms in place to prevent other software from messing with system files. In fact, if you leave UAC on, Vista has very strong protection against other software messing with system files.
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Reply #178 from Demigod Forums Top
CobraA1 saying stuff


Steam authenticates every game online whenever you try to run it. It also authenticates every third party mod that's released for free online. Meaning you can't play free third party mods (Dystopia, Zombie Master) at lans unless you've got an active internet connection (which the lans in my local area don't).

What this also means is if Steam is screwing up, my games refuse to play.

I would also like to link this. You don't own any of the games on Steam since they can be deactivated at a whim by someone at Valve.
Reply #179 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Steam authenticates every game online whenever you try to run it

I also thought this was the case (and was incensed by the fact that I needed internet connection every single time I wanted to play half life 2 offline), but you can fortunately disable this option to allow you to play games without connecting to steam first (although you still of course need the initial online authentication to activate the game when you first install it - not much of a problem if you've downloaded the game from an online store in the first place though :p).
Reply #180 from Sins Forums Top
Yes, steam is only not a nuisance after you switch it to offline. When you go to start it up in online mode and your connection takes a shit, the fucker wont let you into anything.
Reply #181 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
From the article Anniko linked to:

One week later, Valve, via the Steam program, inactivated all Orange Box games (after they had already been active for some time), stating that they are in the "incorrect territory."


Ugh. I hate country restrictions. Talk about making your own arbitrary laws. For the moment however, I'm skeptical, as this is just some forum posts making the claim.


You don't own any of the games on Steam since they can be deactivated at a whim by someone at Valve.


Actually, if you read your EULAs occasionally, you'll find you probably don't own the vast majority of software on your computer. Has nothing to do with whether they can deactivate it remotely or not.


Steam authenticates every game online whenever you try to run it. It also authenticates every third party mod that's released for free online.


Has this been verified?

In any case, if you dislike the verification go into offline mode. Problem solved.
Reply #182 from Demigod Forums Top
EULA's are not legally binding as I didn't have a chance to read it before money changed hands. I'm being forced to agree to conditions I didn't accept/know about when I bought the product just so I can use it.
Reply #183 from Sins Forums Top
Well, they are and they aren't. Corrupt lawmakers and judges are telling us they are.
Reply #184 from Sins Forums Top
Well, they are and they aren't. Corrupt lawmakers and judges are telling us they are.


God bless America
Reply #185 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I dunno if EULAs are considered legally binding, but I know that copyright law is. If you threw out the EULA, you'd end up with a product that's even less useful.