Actually, I like Ballmer at the helm. "We designed Windows 8 for the world we know, in which most computers are mobile." I like that attitude! It totally kills off business users of all kinds, that's a good thing. Microsoft is already doing enough damage with Ballmer as lead...imagine what they'd do with a competent CEO!... Well, on the other side with a *really* good CEO, and I'm talking "Lawful Good" here, they might get something really good done and revolutionize *everything*...
Gnome 3 and Unity isn't the answer. It's the question, and judging on user reaction, the answer is "no".
Well, somehow I have to thank Gnome 3/Unity. Without it I'd never have tried Sawfish, XFCE, finally moved my POP account into a private IMAP server, learned Mutt, found DeadBeef, expanded my Conky-Configuration to include even more awesome stuff...I'd never have looked beyond Gnome if it wouldn't have been for those two.
So, this might sound crazy, but thank you Gnome and Canonical! Thank you for pushing a technology which made me look beyond what I already had, and let me find even better things! Thank you!......... Okay, you can now end the joke, we get it...can we now get the real Gnome 3?!
I can hardly find information about that, but the Steamworks documentation refers to the Valve titles (Half-Life 2, Counter Strike Source) as being under Steamworks, yes.
It's a bit more complex than even that. Steam itself is, essentially, DRM.
Uh, right...in the "you did not purchase this so you don't get to play it" kind of way...completely forget about that. Somehow purchasing it to be allowed to play it runs not under DRM in my book, but it is, true.
I know there is already fake Steam server software, used by pirates to blanket-authenticate themselves for every game on the system.
Really? Did not even think about that...well then, scratch my plan, that's better!
I also just want to address a few parts of your reply, as I agree with you.:)
Skyrim or Deus Ex: Human Revolution? Portal 1/2? Not a chance. Note I'm also not referring to any extra 3rd-party DRM, just the base Steam DRM.
As far as I could figure out, those games are using Steamworks. Which is a DRM system delivered by Steam and Valve, but which is optional for the developers/publishers. So we're back at their mercy.
I have read people's complains on the Steam forums whereby there was an issue when paying through PayPal, for whatever reason PayPal wouldn't transfer funds to Valve even though the transaction was completed in Steam (completely PP's fault mind you, but it happens), and so the account is locked for reasons of fraud or some such BS. If you're good with Steam support it might be a temporary lock while they try to ascertain what happened, but it's still a lock.
I was not aware of such problems...though, now that I think about it, it sounds logical that accounts get suspended when such problems arouse. But I'm also very confident that you can resolve those situations with Support and PayPal. Still sucks, yeah.
Let's just say that I'm very wary of building a 100+ games library in Steam knowing that it's all authenticated against a third-party and not entirely in my control.
Yeah, me too...but as I said, the lesser evil. I still prefer games from Steam because I can get them cheap, and I can get them in English, which is not guaranteed if I buy the boxed versions.
I can only speak for myself, so please take this with a grain of salt.
From my experience, a lot of Linux users hate Microsoft because of their dominance in operating systems. It has resulted in a lot of software only being available for Windows and not Linux, hardware manufacturers only putting out drivers (decent or otherwise) for Windows and not Linux, and so on. People hate Microsoft due to their effective monopoly in the software industry (now getting less effective, but still)
The problem with Microsoft is not their monopoly, it's how they defend that monopoly, they've been actively killing competition.
Since Steam also uses account-based DRM, your games are linked to a single point of failure. A clerical error, a PayPal/credit card dispute, anything that may or may not be your fault occurs, and you may find yourself locked out of your account either temporarily or permanently. If this happens, you can't play your games.
Yes and No. Not Valve decides if the games use DRM, the developers do (or publisher). Games which do not have DRM on them can be played without Steam with no problem, even games with DRM might be played without Steam with no problem. The assumption that you're only able to play the games if you're logged into Steam is wrong, that depends on the game. Also, I don't see how a CreditCard/PayPal issue could lock you out of your account?
Linux users traditionally are geeks, and hence know the dangers of relying on a single vendor, a single point of failure. They'd know not to put all your eggs in one basket because otherwise, you don't have control. I'm no Richard Stallman but I'm honestly scared about the fact that everyone appears to be happy giving control out of their hands and to a third-party... EVEN LINUX USERS!
Same statement as above, it depends on the games itself. In my opinion, it is far more likely that the Ubisoft authentication servers are getting shut down then Steam. Also, if you don't tell anyone I'll tell you my master plan for that situation...I'll crack every single game I bought on Steam...every single one. It's a sad situation that I have to break stuff to make it work, but in all honesty, I paid something between $1 and $10 for every game...I'll go that extra mile. I mean, if I'd paid $55 for the game, and then it breaks I'd be pissed! But $1? 10 minutes spending in Google, done...I'm in. And I know that it does not answer your question, but that's my idea to that, and I know where you're coming from, but that's my plan.
Well on the other side, if they start removing stuff remotely from my harddisk...that's something different...completely different...
I need someone to post something insightful because I'm going out of my fucking mind with worry that the traditionally anti-DRM crowd here is giving me mixed signals when it comes to Valve.
That's because if there's one company out there which will get it right, it's Valve! All other game companies have degraded into some sort of money whore, but Valve still is a shop of enthusiasts and geeks which are coding for enthusiasts and geeks.
At this point I'm almost ready to give up gaming and do something else if everyone's basically agreed that DRM cannot be stopped.
At the moment, I fear, it's choosing the lesser of two evils. And Steam is the lesser of all the evils...I mean, I even find Steam even less intrusive then "Insert the disc now!" copy protection.
You don't even need an AK-47, a club will do just fine...or a preacher who says that you must kill yourself because the end of the world is near, works sometimes too.
Well, the Nexoc Pad 10 is basically a tablet with Intel Atom. Given that they ever preload it with Windows 7 or Android 2.2 I'd guess that it could also run Fedora. I never bothered to check or contact them about it, as I would be interested in it but I have no need for it.
That depends...at least for me...if you give me a 23" in front of me and another 23" right in the table I'm all in! Well, at least if I can configure the system to work, like switching the touchscreen in the desk from input, to mirror to...arrr...what was the name? Stand-alone-display? Extended Desktop? Multihead?
Slashdot Mirror
...and signed with the e-mail address killerking247@yahoo.com.
... ... ...yeah, sounds totally legit! This most be...uuhh...the king of all Hitmen! Or something...
Actually, I like Ballmer at the helm. "We designed Windows 8 for the world we know, in which most computers are mobile." I like that attitude! It totally kills off business users of all kinds, that's a good thing. Microsoft is already doing enough damage with Ballmer as lead...imagine what they'd do with a competent CEO! ... Well, on the other side with a *really* good CEO, and I'm talking "Lawful Good" here, they might get something really good done and revolutionize *everything*...
Beef is chicken?! You should stop going to McDonalds.
Gnome 3 and Unity isn't the answer. It's the question, and judging on user reaction, the answer is "no".
Well, somehow I have to thank Gnome 3/Unity. Without it I'd never have tried Sawfish, XFCE, finally moved my POP account into a private IMAP server, learned Mutt, found DeadBeef, expanded my Conky-Configuration to include even more awesome stuff...I'd never have looked beyond Gnome if it wouldn't have been for those two.
So, this might sound crazy, but thank you Gnome and Canonical! Thank you for pushing a technology which made me look beyond what I already had, and let me find even better things! Thank you! ... ... ... Okay, you can now end the joke, we get it...can we now get the real Gnome 3?!
You mean they branched Vista of ME? That would explain *everything*!
I can hardly find information about that, but the Steamworks documentation refers to the Valve titles (Half-Life 2, Counter Strike Source) as being under Steamworks, yes.
It's a bit more complex than even that. Steam itself is, essentially, DRM.
Uh, right...in the "you did not purchase this so you don't get to play it" kind of way...completely forget about that. Somehow purchasing it to be allowed to play it runs not under DRM in my book, but it is, true.
I know there is already fake Steam server software, used by pirates to blanket-authenticate themselves for every game on the system.
Really? Did not even think about that...well then, scratch my plan, that's better!
Skyrim or Deus Ex: Human Revolution? Portal 1/2? Not a chance. Note I'm also not referring to any extra 3rd-party DRM, just the base Steam DRM.
As far as I could figure out, those games are using Steamworks. Which is a DRM system delivered by Steam and Valve, but which is optional for the developers/publishers. So we're back at their mercy.
I have read people's complains on the Steam forums whereby there was an issue when paying through PayPal, for whatever reason PayPal wouldn't transfer funds to Valve even though the transaction was completed in Steam (completely PP's fault mind you, but it happens), and so the account is locked for reasons of fraud or some such BS. If you're good with Steam support it might be a temporary lock while they try to ascertain what happened, but it's still a lock.
I was not aware of such problems...though, now that I think about it, it sounds logical that accounts get suspended when such problems arouse. But I'm also very confident that you can resolve those situations with Support and PayPal. Still sucks, yeah.
Let's just say that I'm very wary of building a 100+ games library in Steam knowing that it's all authenticated against a third-party and not entirely in my control.
Yeah, me too...but as I said, the lesser evil. I still prefer games from Steam because I can get them cheap, and I can get them in English, which is not guaranteed if I buy the boxed versions.
From my experience, a lot of Linux users hate Microsoft because of their dominance in operating systems. It has resulted in a lot of software only being available for Windows and not Linux, hardware manufacturers only putting out drivers (decent or otherwise) for Windows and not Linux, and so on. People hate Microsoft due to their effective monopoly in the software industry (now getting less effective, but still)
The problem with Microsoft is not their monopoly, it's how they defend that monopoly, they've been actively killing competition.
Since Steam also uses account-based DRM, your games are linked to a single point of failure. A clerical error, a PayPal/credit card dispute, anything that may or may not be your fault occurs, and you may find yourself locked out of your account either temporarily or permanently. If this happens, you can't play your games.
Yes and No. Not Valve decides if the games use DRM, the developers do (or publisher). Games which do not have DRM on them can be played without Steam with no problem, even games with DRM might be played without Steam with no problem. The assumption that you're only able to play the games if you're logged into Steam is wrong, that depends on the game. Also, I don't see how a CreditCard/PayPal issue could lock you out of your account?
Linux users traditionally are geeks, and hence know the dangers of relying on a single vendor, a single point of failure. They'd know not to put all your eggs in one basket because otherwise, you don't have control. I'm no Richard Stallman but I'm honestly scared about the fact that everyone appears to be happy giving control out of their hands and to a third-party... EVEN LINUX USERS!
Same statement as above, it depends on the games itself. In my opinion, it is far more likely that the Ubisoft authentication servers are getting shut down then Steam. Also, if you don't tell anyone I'll tell you my master plan for that situation...I'll crack every single game I bought on Steam...every single one. It's a sad situation that I have to break stuff to make it work, but in all honesty, I paid something between $1 and $10 for every game...I'll go that extra mile. I mean, if I'd paid $55 for the game, and then it breaks I'd be pissed! But $1? 10 minutes spending in Google, done...I'm in. And I know that it does not answer your question, but that's my idea to that, and I know where you're coming from, but that's my plan. Well on the other side, if they start removing stuff remotely from my harddisk...that's something different...completely different...
I need someone to post something insightful because I'm going out of my fucking mind with worry that the traditionally anti-DRM crowd here is giving me mixed signals when it comes to Valve.
That's because if there's one company out there which will get it right, it's Valve! All other game companies have degraded into some sort of money whore, but Valve still is a shop of enthusiasts and geeks which are coding for enthusiasts and geeks.
At this point I'm almost ready to give up gaming and do something else if everyone's basically agreed that DRM cannot be stopped.
At the moment, I fear, it's choosing the lesser of two evils. And Steam is the lesser of all the evils...I mean, I even find Steam even less intrusive then "Insert the disc now!" copy protection.
So, how exactly does SSL help with, say, SQL injection or a buffer overflow?
Just because a website is using SSL, doesn't mean that the webmaster has a clue what it's doing.
In the modern era, I think those two are equivalent.
Who needs nine monitors?! Just use three beamers!
Well, they found water on Mars recently.
You don't even need an AK-47, a club will do just fine...or a preacher who says that you must kill yourself because the end of the world is near, works sometimes too.
I think you can't compare Capone to Dotcom...
Interesting, care to explain?
Well, the Nexoc Pad 10 is basically a tablet with Intel Atom. Given that they ever preload it with Windows 7 or Android 2.2 I'd guess that it could also run Fedora. I never bothered to check or contact them about it, as I would be interested in it but I have no need for it.
Controlling a large work PC screen ain't it.
That depends...at least for me...if you give me a 23" in front of me and another 23" right in the table I'm all in! Well, at least if I can configure the system to work, like switching the touchscreen in the desk from input, to mirror to...arrr...what was the name? Stand-alone-display? Extended Desktop? Multihead?
Maybe the admin likes Putin? I'm not sure how you relate from a private forum to the whole internet and politics debate.
So, it's the fault of Ford that we have driving schools?
No, no ones stopping you from retrieving it...but you'd better not come back to Earth with it.
Okay, so you want to make peace with an alien race by offering the most shitty things we have?
...unless the whole human race is going to be extinct).
And what's with the bankers?
Posting AC because they have so many spiteful shills on slashdot
And you're afraid of...what?
Where does it say "anonymous"?!