It can be cracked. You can make a program that makes the pc think there's a dongle in the usb socket. Obviously the more complex the dongle system the harder this is to achieve but just because it's a physical object doesn't make it 100% crack-proof.
You'd have to buy a physical product again which defeats the object of digital distribution. Maybe give 48hrs dongle-free play time to give time for the dongle to arrive by post?
Personally I'd pay more for a game that just installs and works. The pirates have them, why can't I, if I've paid for it? Because then it would be easier to pirate? Well, it's not like it's hard to find pirated versions of the games which have DRM...
Yeah, I bought GTA IV through steam the other day. As well as it running like a bag of shite I also have to have the rockstar social club running (as well as steam). Also I had to sign up for the social club just to play the game. And then link that account to a windows Live games account. I tried using my existing windows Live account but it wouldn't let me link them (for some reason...it didn't tell me why) so I had to create a new one. So two new accounts in two software systems that are duplicating the functionality of Steam WHICH I'M ALREADY USING AS WELL!
It is my opinion that we live in hands-down the most interesting times which have come along in a few thousand years. Going from seven billion people to a couple million in short order is a pretty interesting event.
Yeah, I see what you're saying. There is definitely a benefit to having consistency between machines (especially if you're a sys admin) but it seems to me that there is a lot of room for improvement in areas that are neglected while things that work fine get a pointless overhaul. Maybe I'm just bored with it...
Sounds awesome! Don't think I'd want to use it for any length of time though...
I am surprised at the lack of interesting interfaces though. Windows, OSX and most Linux distros are all basically variations on a theme - you've got your program windows, your menu (at the bottom or at the top, or if you're really feeling wild at the side!) and that's about it. Everything is grouped either vertically or horizontally - obviously curves are harder to program, but surely not that difficult? How about a menu that radiated out from (for example) the start menu, with groups of icons on each 'spoke'? I'd like that - one spoke for internet apps, one for media, one for development tools. Windows key+1 for one spoke, windows+2 for another...
While I'm on the subject does anyone know of any interesting interfaces? I remember trying lightstep years ago...ran like a bag of shit and the interfaces mostly sucked but there were some good ideas.
That sounds like a really good idea. It could be named after what everyone shouts while trying to get Linux to compile for the first time: "You *unt, you!"
Except that the 10% thing is a fallacy. As I understand it (IANAN), you only use 10% of your brain at any one time. Which makes sense. I mean, when I'm trying to get out of the way of a car - I want to be recalling how to run - I don't want to be recalling the cake I had at my 5th birthday party.
I didn't realise there was a Bing Maps. I just had a look at it. I typed my street name and town (in the UK) into bing and it could't find it, even when it was already looking at the right town. I did the same in google maps (whilst looking at the default view of america) and it found it straight away. However...
Flickr is far better than Picasa, and has a better community
True.
Wordpress is more advanced, feature-rich, and easier to use than Blogger
"Now why is this? Well, there's one possible theory, which is that just as Xerox is really in the business of selling toner cartridges, Sony is really in the little dongly power-supply business." - from a somewhat related piece by Douglas Adams
The main thing I miss about having dedicated servers is the lack of community. When I played Day of Defeat I could spend hours on one server playing with same people, having a good time and getting to know them. I knew if I connected to a certain server I'd have a good game. MW2 on the other hand is like a lucky dip. Yeah, sometimes it's great but you have no control over who you play with unless you go to the hassle of adding friends on Steam or whatever. Maybe it's just me.
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There are some problems with this:
It can be cracked. You can make a program that makes the pc think there's a dongle in the usb socket. Obviously the more complex the dongle system the harder this is to achieve but just because it's a physical object doesn't make it 100% crack-proof.
You'd have to buy a physical product again which defeats the object of digital distribution. Maybe give 48hrs dongle-free play time to give time for the dongle to arrive by post?
Personally I'd pay more for a game that just installs and works. The pirates have them, why can't I, if I've paid for it? Because then it would be easier to pirate? Well, it's not like it's hard to find pirated versions of the games which have DRM...
If you want to make a statement play pirated games and make an anonymous donation to the company that created it with a note explaining your position.
I think this can be blamed for the rampant PC game piracy (almost 80-90%) somewhat.
FTFY
The missing words are:
"Rockstar Social Club"
See also my post above...
Yeah, I bought GTA IV through steam the other day. As well as it running like a bag of shite I also have to have the rockstar social club running (as well as steam). Also I had to sign up for the social club just to play the game. And then link that account to a windows Live games account. I tried using my existing windows Live account but it wouldn't let me link them (for some reason...it didn't tell me why) so I had to create a new one. So two new accounts in two software systems that are duplicating the functionality of Steam WHICH I'M ALREADY USING AS WELL!
It is my opinion that we live in hands-down the most interesting times which have come along in a few thousand years. Going from seven billion people to a couple million in short order is a pretty interesting event.
Interesting...
Yeah, I see what you're saying. There is definitely a benefit to having consistency between machines (especially if you're a sys admin) but it seems to me that there is a lot of room for improvement in areas that are neglected while things that work fine get a pointless overhaul. Maybe I'm just bored with it...
Lemmings is the game you're think of.
Sounds awesome! Don't think I'd want to use it for any length of time though...
I am surprised at the lack of interesting interfaces though. Windows, OSX and most Linux distros are all basically variations on a theme - you've got your program windows, your menu (at the bottom or at the top, or if you're really feeling wild at the side!) and that's about it. Everything is grouped either vertically or horizontally - obviously curves are harder to program, but surely not that difficult? How about a menu that radiated out from (for example) the start menu, with groups of icons on each 'spoke'? I'd like that - one spoke for internet apps, one for media, one for development tools. Windows key+1 for one spoke, windows+2 for another...
While I'm on the subject does anyone know of any interesting interfaces? I remember trying lightstep years ago...ran like a bag of shit and the interfaces mostly sucked but there were some good ideas.
All the areas you want to select are automatically obscured by the very finger(s) that are doing the selecting. How stoooopid is that?
It makes you wonder how Michaelangelo managed to paint so well, what with his brush covering up the painting all the time...
I knew you were going to say that.
Good, aren't they?
That sounds like a really good idea. It could be named after what everyone shouts while trying to get Linux to compile for the first time: "You *unt, you!"
Maybe change the spelling slightly...
Well, I've just learnt something.
You're right, it's not a fallacy, it's a fallacy. Wait, what?
It occurred to me several times that I found points in the article that contradicted the newspaper title ;-)
Exactly. I mean, how can you browse without clicking?
Except that the 10% thing is a fallacy. As I understand it (IANAN), you only use 10% of your brain at any one time. Which makes sense. I mean, when I'm trying to get out of the way of a car - I want to be recalling how to run - I don't want to be recalling the cake I had at my 5th birthday party.
Remember: Change != Progress != Improvement
They released Myst 5: End of Ages which was the final part in the story. Although they did almost go bust before it was released.
Apple I would trust to pay for this service. Google is spyware.
What? Seriously?
http://images.search.yahoo.com/
I often get better results from this that G.I.S.
Bing has better Travel and Maps search.
I didn't realise there was a Bing Maps. I just had a look at it. I typed my street name and town (in the UK) into bing and it could't find it, even when it was already looking at the right town. I did the same in google maps (whilst looking at the default view of america) and it found it straight away. However...
Flickr is far better than Picasa, and has a better community
True.
Wordpress is more advanced, feature-rich, and easier to use than Blogger
True.
Couldn't say about the rest of them.
Just as the players themselves paled in comparison to their peers.
They discriminate against people with faces?
"Now why is this? Well, there's one possible theory, which is that just as Xerox is really in the business of selling toner cartridges, Sony is really in the little dongly power-supply business." - from a somewhat related piece by Douglas Adams
The main thing I miss about having dedicated servers is the lack of community. When I played Day of Defeat I could spend hours on one server playing with same people, having a good time and getting to know them. I knew if I connected to a certain server I'd have a good game. MW2 on the other hand is like a lucky dip. Yeah, sometimes it's great but you have no control over who you play with unless you go to the hassle of adding friends on Steam or whatever. Maybe it's just me.