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More Info on Phantom Game Console

Posted by michael on from the phantasmic-force dept.

MImeKillEr writes "Newsforge is reporting that the Phantom Game Console discussed on Slashdot is really a DRM-protected PC, sans floppy or CD running Windows XP. It uses a proprietary encryption method to protect the data on its harddrive, and the only thing that differentiates this 'game console' from a standard, Windows-running PC is that it has no way to get data on or off of it except through a dedicated connection to Infinium Labs' own servers." Newsforge and Slashdot are both part of OSDN.

7 of 443 comments (clear)

  1. Watch out... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    You'll need at least a Pentium III to view the site.

    I tried to enter on my 586, and it didn't let me.

  2. Re:copyright bad? by RazzleFrog · · Score: 2, Informative

    I think what he means is that if copyright didn't exist people would be much more careful about how and where they publish something they created. If I wrote a book and there was no such thing as copyright I might only print one copy and lend it to friends only so that somebody else doesn't take it and claim it as their own. That would mean the rest of the world would miss out on what might be a great work.

    The fact that copyrights expire is not an afterthought as you make it seem. Here is the applicable quote from the Constitution:

    "The Congress shall have the power. . . To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries. . .[emphasis mine]"

    It is quite clear that the Founding Fathers fully intended copyrights to expire.

  3. Re:Why Windows? by Kaa · · Score: 2, Informative

    Why are they running Windows? In all seriousness, why not Linux or something else?

    The point of this box is to play games.

    How many games are available for Windows? How many games are available for Linux?

    Geez...

    --

    Kaa
    Kaa's Law: In any sufficiently large group of people most are idiots.
  4. Cable, DSL... by malakai · · Score: 2, Informative
    It simply needs broadband. By dedicated connection they mean plug it into your home's hub. And before someone says that Home Users don't have access to broadband at the scales needed to pull this off:

    The FCC released their biannual report (.pdf file) today, which reported 16.2 million broadband customers (households) in the U.S. as of June 2002, up from 9.6 million one year earlier. The report also indicates that most users should be well within the range of a broadband option. "Our analysis indicates that 98 percent of the country's population lives in the 84 percent of zip codes where a provider reports having at least one high-speed service subscriber."


    -malakai
    --
    -Malakai
    A Dragon Lives in my Garage
  5. Re:Fair use? by Setti · · Score: 2, Informative

    You know, I don't see anyone complaining when it came down to the PS1, PS2, SegaCD, Dreamcast, Gamecube and all those others that try to use their own form of protection. If they want to build their system in a foolish way, just do so by not buying it and asking your friends to boycott it or through other normal means. However, if you plan on buying it, then I'd suggest to make sure you know what you are buying before you do so, otherwise you may end up upset if you find out about features you did not want it to have.

  6. Re:crafted? created? by SoftCoreHonesty · · Score: 2, Informative

    I think you spend a little too much time listening to RMS. You don't copyright information. That is not possible. It is actually very clearly state on the Copyright website -

    You cannot copyright..."Works consisting entirely of information that is common property and containing no original authorship."

    You can copyright your tangible analysis of information as long as it contains thoughts and ideas that are your own.

    As for the money issue, copyright was created entirely with the idea of providing a living for people who create works of art and science.

    Finally, I have created many works of art. I even consider this post to be a work of art. I find it very unlikely, however, that somebody in this universe is creating the same exact thing at the same exact time.

  7. Re:Fair use? You're quoting history.. by q2a · · Score: 3, Informative

    Do we have to remind you for the 50billionth time that this level of fair use is history aka. pre-DMCA?
    (that is if there is ANY DRM involved.)
    And yes, there are people fighting this.