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Valve Cracks Down on 20,000 Users

An anonymous reader writes "Valve have disabled 20,000 steam user accounts belonging to users who have been caught using a pirated version of the game, or have attempted to use a cdkey to bypass the securom protection found on the retail version of the game. The Steam Forums have been swamped with people now claiming they are unable to play, many claiming they have had their accounts disabled for no reason. A Valve spokesman says, 'The number of people who actually had bought HL2 and used the CD key cheat was VERY small. VERY small. Most people just tried to rip off the game and not bother buying it.'" People are discovering that when you buy any product that is subject to "activation", you haven't really bought anything.

10 of 1,942 comments (clear)

  1. Re:michael: STFU by over_exposed · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Amen!!! A similar thing happened w/ timothy in How To Manage Your Home Directory? earlier today. Granted, they're editors and have the right to edit things, including adding their own comments. But where is the professionalism? /. is a pseudo proefessional, advertising, revenue-generating web site with a large audience. That does NOT mean they should get to add their own little quips where ever they want. If the editors want to post something like that, DO IT IN THE FORUM, not in the story text.

    --
    "The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his." - Patton
  2. Re:You're wrong. by RollingThunder · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Valve also doesn't warantee that the sun won't explode tomorrow, and that's not their job to either.

  3. Re:You're wrong. by JonahDark1 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    That only works in Blue States, those of us that live in Red States have AGs that bend you over and help the big companies rape you.

    PS: Elliot Spitzer (AG, NY) Rocks.

    That is all.

  4. Off topic: Re:You're wrong. by GlassUser · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Flash ads on slashdot? Am I just now noticing them or something?

    I guess. I don't have that security-hole-ridden piece of nonstandard junk installed here, so it means fewer ads for me any way. :)

    1. Re:Off topic: Re:You're wrong. by realdpk · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Yeah, I used to have "click to play" on my machine but I forget why I removed it. The flashblock or other extension just sucks (it loads the flash, and then stops it), and prefbar isn't stopping flash any more either.

      If I weren't a Homestar Runner junky I'd probably remove it entirely.

  5. Re:Sorry, but it doesn't work that way by javatips · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I would like to add that when you buy some software... The only contract you agree too is within you and the place where you buy the box. You are in no way linked to the entity who produced the good. This third party cannot enforce any contract upon you. Now if you copy the game to give to someone else, then you are comitting copyright violation.

    If for some reason, Valve is disabling your account, it is the reponsability of the store to fix the issue... If the store cannot fix it, then they have to issue a refund or provide a replacement... If they do not solve the problem to your satisfaction (in this case you being able to play the game), you can sue them in small claim court.

    Now if you modify your copy of the game, then the warranty will no longer apply... They may be allowed prevent you from playing the game (or using the network play), but if you reinstall a fresh, unmodified copy... They MUST allow you to play.

  6. Re:Off topic: Re:You're wrong. Re; Flash Ads.... by djdavetrouble · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Yeah i was annoyed I couldn't block them with pith helmet on safari.

    --
    music lover since 1969
  7. Adblock by boffy_b · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Adblock can block images, flash objects, or just anything from a particular server(eg: ads.osdn.com).

    Not just that, but also the spaces they occupied, so you don't get big annoying blanks where the big annoying adverts are traditionally.

    Is compatible with Firefox 1.0 on Windows and Linux.

    --
    Windows is only $500 if your time is worthless.
    1. Re:Adblock by wampus · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Last time I checked Adblock also caused Firefox to hang on some java applets for some reason. YMMV

    2. Re:Adblock by GlassUser · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      jeff?