Comments on: Why even pay for software? A declaration against poorly implemented DRM

By: Ivan Samuelson

Ivan Samuelson — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:50:26 +0000

Well, I finally contacted Microsoft Marketplace support about my issue with Gears of War. I sent them my key that was used to authorize the software and they are going to send me the CD itself.

Still, this is a pain. I haven’t been able to play the game for months and having to get a new CD is just not right.

By: remote control software

remote control software — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:20:43 +0000

As you can tell from the other 30 or so posts above me you are not alone. The DRM problem is beginning to turn into an epidemic. These access control technologies that the hardware manufacturers are imposing on content limitation is getting out of hand. Piracy is definitely an issue, more or less in the music/video downloading market. It is too bad that people who rightfully purchase computer games face issues like the one at hand.

By: andy

andy — Sun, 17 May 2009 04:40:37 +0000

wow, thats really bad. the only software i paid for and had major problems with (that caused it not to run) i was able to take back to the store (thanks eb games u rock!)

By: SC

SC — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:21:11 +0000

“I bought S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky around the time the Win7 beta was opened to general public. So obviously, I tried playing in under Win7. But the problem was, the TAGES protection is not compatible with Win7. It has too much OS dependence. It just gave me “please insert original DVD” which was inserted. So instead of playing patch 1.5.0.8 (release a few days after the purchase), I was forced to play 1.5.0.7 because this is the latest one that had a crack.”
Yeah go DRM! Another satisfied customer!

By: yrseeder

yrseeder — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:16:30 +0000

Game set match . An I get called the pirate for stripping the protection of my legally purchased programs. Sorry their the pirates. Their are some really good games out their but you probably don’t like their platform. EVE is space based an has multi platform OS support as are all your monthly subscription pay to play no cd required games. Dark age of Camelot and WoW and War hammer if you like cartoons. no real first person shooters though . you first person shoot guys in the long run pay about as much or more as monthly subscription plat forms but we have way less headaches lol

By: Mathew7

Mathew7 — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:48:18 +0000

I bought S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky around the time the Win7 beta was opened to general public. So obviously, I tried playing in under Win7. But the problem was, the TAGES protection is not compatible with Win7. It has too much OS dependence. It just gave me “please insert original DVD” which was inserted. So instead of playing patch 1.5.0.8 (release a few days after the purchase), I was forced to play 1.5.0.7 because this is the latest one that had a crack.
In conclusion, I have 2 points
1.Protections only make life worse for good customers, not pirates. I don’t know of any good seller game which was not cracked in at most 1 month.
2.Who can guarantee that a game purchased today will work on whatever windows will be in 5-6 years. But then, considering the quality of current games, i doubt someone will still be playing them.

By: yrseeder

yrseeder — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:36:48 +0000

Sorry for not responding more timely , major dental work in progress . Boshem , Your the reason why company’s use DRM. a honest an true computer programmer wouldn’t enter lines of garbage like that junk in one of their programs. DRM is sold by a seprate company added after the “”real programmers”" worked their magic. DRM is neither sophisticated, nor does it protect the program itself. It’s sole intent was to increase “” CORPORATE PROFOT”". You can disagree all day an forever with me,it’s America that’s your God Given Right. It’s my God given right to spend 500 100 or even 50 dollars for software that works . If DRM is causing the fault THE BELIEVE YOU ME I’LL FIX IT. If you not smart enough an the value of your hard earned money is so low that you do not mind being corporate Americas “”Revolving Consumer”" be my guest I feel sorry for you. For those of you who legally purchase programs an have have DRM issues a stroll down Googel lane a nice torrent file manager , a little bit of reading a few quik patches an you protected your investment. I do not advise the windows cracks. unless you can do your own . Personally i do not need to resort to that when it comes to windows basic everyday pc stuff i use a cheap disposable dell. For all my games main programs and office utilities i wrote my own operating system and make my own drivers and patches. As for Mine sweep I love it . I can Clear 27 expert games in under 7 minutes. I’m just sick an tired of the American ingenuity that built are great country being repressed for 5 decades over corporate brown nosing monkeys and blind main stream media sheep. Long gone are the days of Pride in your work . Not in my home. I teach my sons how to hack and “”Why”" I buy it it’s mine. I buy to use it not be jiped. All you people crying about me being a pirate or a thief or i have no respect . BULL. If the program was not worth a flip i would never have it on my PC in the first place. as a consumer you owe it to yourself to research and be a smart shopper. Googel a product read forums . Know what your buying. DRM is not part of the working program it is added on trash that rips off the consumer and the music industry found out that it was a”"BIG BLACK MONEY HOLE”". I see why now Kids are better consumers then adults. your so worried about screwing corporate America, you can’t even tell your getting screwed. Maybe you like it.sorry for my rambling. I had all upper teeth wisdom -wisdom removed for Dentures. fought my wife for years . she won. Seriously only informed an product educated consumers will change anything. as long as we feed them they just gonna keep getting more hungry an this saddens me that our great country’s evolution, even the worlds evolution strayed from quality an pride . To see who can screw the most the longest. very sad .Boshem your not a idiot , if i come off that way i apologize. I ‘m serious why I appeal to you to research your products more.Then again you may have almost No DRM experiance.

By: BN

BN — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:55:20 +0000

I bought Flight Simulator X and downloaded the crack so I could install in MY other 3 computers. What companies are doing with their ‘protective software’ is just ridiculous.

By: SC

SC — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:12:09 +0000

I think it is pretty clear that an alternate solution is needed. This one is clearly a bad one because it doesn’t stop pirates at all (which is not what the PR machine wants to tell you).

By: Ivan

Ivan — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:05:11 +0000

“Yea so? Even if your expert analysis is correct, their “revenue” is none of your damn business, they requested payment for their product, R-E-S-P-E-C-T that! And then go play minesweeper or solitaire, they probably came free with Windows, and then you won’t be infringing on any copyrights (unless your copy of Windows has not been properly licensed).”

Noone is saying they don’t deserve respect. I don’t blame the programmers. I blame the higher-ups (CEOs, etc) that are so far removed from the product that they don’t understand what problems DRM causes.

Regardless of whether or not I “own” it or have been granted a “license” to use it, it still ends up punishing the consumer. For my case, I cannot play Gears of War anymore. For some reason, the activation server is no longer up. I never once received any kind of email on this and Microsoft tells me to contact the owners of the activation servers, which is not them. I barely had the game for a year (I ordered it around August of 2008) and now, without cracking it, I cannot play it because I cannot activate it.

Is it “right” that the company got my $50 and now, less than a year later, I cannot play my legally purchased software?

The same goes for my copy of Escape from Butcher Bay. The activation servers are no longer up and I cannot play the game anymore. I’m not as ticked off about this because it was $20, but still, I’m the one that got shafted. I was being honest and I got screwed.

So who is really the worse offender here? The pirates or the companies? I’m not condoning the pirates, but here a company willingly accepted my payment and now, I’m screwed. I did nothing wrong but support the company and they basically shat in my face.