Have they? How long is that period before it checks? Will it allow for evening play of the latest turn-based sci-fi games during a week-long training session in a faraway place?
Perhaps we need a Steam/Stardock-style system. Stardock lets you download anytime you want, and activates it once and for all. Steam needs 'net access, but does support an offline mode once you've activated a game.
Slightly off-topic, but..the amount of knowledge you need just to get games running is almost worth putting on your resume these days. Even applying a no-disc crack is sometimes more than just the executable replacement technique of old (last year; this is Internet-time).
You'll probably find the download version even more broken. EA also charges extra for allowing you to download your purchase if more than six months have passed.
I think I'll settle for the Mac version in this case, because their form of SecuROM isn't nearly as painful. It's just a bog-standard disc check.
Good work - you came up with a car-related analogy which doesn't sound half bad:)
That also proves any person who takes a little time to learn can steal/copy anything. No copy-protection scheme is 100% safe, and even bolting electronics down might not stop the most dedicated/desperate thief.
Mac Mini is based on these bog-slow Intel integrated chipsets, and it's nice and fast at its desktop effects. Haven't found a way to switch them off, either, but I never had the need.
That's still a lot (although better than the 150W idle I've read about with some cards). It draws more power idle, the card alone, than some small computers:)
I figured out a way to get around that in my self-modifying code - just put the code chunks in front of the bulk of your static code, and right before the data chunk you use for modifications, do a jump past it.
You could also do cache flushes on a regular basis, but that could slow down things if you wanted to write some invisible, malicious code:)
I had a few of those games with little cards to make other cards readable, and the code wheel for Rocket Ranger. I was disappointed it was the version with no nazis, so I looked for a pirated version instead. No code wheel anymore, either!
The most recent purchase with a horrid, old-fashioned scheme like that was Uplink. It had a black sheet with the codes on it, and a transparent red thing to decode. Off to the Internet for a fix! I also ended up with Stardock's version before they went to the token system, and it included a textfile with the codes.
I've been enjoying places like GameCopyWorld for a long time. I typically check for a nocd/nodvd patch there when a new game is out, check what the buzz is on its stability, then decide whether to buy the game. If it's available through Stardock, there is no protection, and if through Steam, it's tolerable because I have it available as long as I have 'net.
I think the best way to get rid of piracy is to only sell accounts for online games, and not make a key system which can be hacked. Isn't that what they did to CoD4 on the PC? Keys were as usual easily generated, and they had no central repository denying illegal keys. An MMO-like system with a one-time key at minimum, or simply an account you log into every time you want to play online would cut down on piracy.
The best copy protection is none, with special goodies for those who pay for their software. Maya and/or 3D Studio has an integrated shop and texture/material browser with lots to download. Games can have free maps now and then, only downloadable through your account at first.
There are no major morphological changes that happen abruptly at 18. It's not like they sprout a tail or horns at 18, so you can look at the drawing and see if the character has them or not. But..I..are you sure?! *makes note to stop using hentai for education*
It's only a problem if the debit account is in fact a debit account with some credit. Sane banks don't allow debit accounts to fall below zero. They'd be credit accounts then, right?
A former cow-orker did something daft like that with an AMD around the early Duron/Athlon days. He connected an 800MHz Athlon without the heatsink. Four seconds after the power was switched on, he had a nice, big hole where the CPU was. I would have loved the pictures of that:)
I want to physically hurt people who abuse Flash. Using a Flash widget instead of multiple buttons "because it's easier" can be blamed on inexperience with CSS and other layout, but the worst offenders are those who use a Flash button instead of a single, graphical button. Without rollovers. I saw that recently on a site, and couldn't believe it.
Not only is it a huge waste to replace a static button like that, but my way of browsing is suddenly forbidden. I go to a site, find some interesting links and middle-click every one of them. This shold open the link in a new tab without losing focus of the current tab.
With Flash buttons, there's no rhyme or reason. Some simply don't accept the middle-click, others open the link like you clicked left. A special place in Hell is reserved for those who use that opportunity to open the link IN A NEW WINDOW! Fuckers. Die.
Uninstalling the previous ones is OK. Just BLOODY ANNOYING!
Java on Windows is immensely annoying, not just because of the 160MB "updates" which amount to full downloads of the latest version in each directory, but also all the advertising for the language.
What use is it to a corporate desktop user to read all that crap Sun are pushing? They're only using the apps foisted upon them! Most don't know the difference between Java and Flash, and are just made aware of their existence when either isn't working for something they need.
People often also integrate Sparkle into OS X apps, giving them a nifty updater which checks for updates and handles downloading & installing with next to no effort from the programmers. I love it. It's so widespread there is barely any need for a central package manager.
I'd love to see a central uninstaller for all those things which aren't app-bundles, though. Plugins and instruments are scattered all over the system, with no common signature in the files so the OS could remove the parts automatically.
I'd require a lobotomy before I could enjoy American Gladiator, but I never miss an episode of Medium.
The episodes of Medium which I watch are worse quality than most other shows. It really looks like a recode from ripped streams. I think some people aren't affected by mere broadcast flags.
Slashdot Mirror
I miss my old 360 in the winter :P
The Falcon Elite I have now is a huge improvement in cooling, but no longer a space heater.
My Opera 9.5(0) installations peak at around 250MB, typically. Not that I care, with 4GB available :)
(Mac, Windows and Linux)
BioShock did it. There was a lengthy uncracked period. When Starforce was new, it also happened.
Have they? How long is that period before it checks? Will it allow for evening play of the latest turn-based sci-fi games during a week-long training session in a faraway place?
Perhaps we need a Steam/Stardock-style system. Stardock lets you download anytime you want, and activates it once and for all. Steam needs 'net access, but does support an offline mode once you've activated a game.
Bob Saget standup and real-life comedy is quite different from the crap we know from sitcoms. He's not safe around children, I think :)
Slightly off-topic, but..the amount of knowledge you need just to get games running is almost worth putting on your resume these days. Even applying a no-disc crack is sometimes more than just the executable replacement technique of old (last year; this is Internet-time).
That's even worse than BioShock, which actually has deactivation to recover a potential installation.
You'll probably find the download version even more broken. EA also charges extra for allowing you to download your purchase if more than six months have passed.
I think I'll settle for the Mac version in this case, because their form of SecuROM isn't nearly as painful. It's just a bog-standard disc check.
Good work - you came up with a car-related analogy which doesn't sound half bad :)
That also proves any person who takes a little time to learn can steal/copy anything. No copy-protection scheme is 100% safe, and even bolting electronics down might not stop the most dedicated/desperate thief.
Mac Mini is based on these bog-slow Intel integrated chipsets, and it's nice and fast at its desktop effects. Haven't found a way to switch them off, either, but I never had the need.
That's still a lot (although better than the 150W idle I've read about with some cards). It draws more power idle, the card alone, than some small computers :)
I figured out a way to get around that in my self-modifying code - just put the code chunks in front of the bulk of your static code, and right before the data chunk you use for modifications, do a jump past it.
:)
You could also do cache flushes on a regular basis, but that could slow down things if you wanted to write some invisible, malicious code
You sit there and seethe with rage, and I'll be enjoying my TF2, HL2, Portal and many non-Valve games :)
Heh. Chris Crawford is sorta famous ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Crawford_(game_designer)
I had a few of those games with little cards to make other cards readable, and the code wheel for Rocket Ranger. I was disappointed it was the version with no nazis, so I looked for a pirated version instead. No code wheel anymore, either!
The most recent purchase with a horrid, old-fashioned scheme like that was Uplink. It had a black sheet with the codes on it, and a transparent red thing to decode. Off to the Internet for a fix!
I also ended up with Stardock's version before they went to the token system, and it included a textfile with the codes.
I've been enjoying places like GameCopyWorld for a long time. I typically check for a nocd/nodvd patch there when a new game is out, check what the buzz is on its stability, then decide whether to buy the game. If it's available through Stardock, there is no protection, and if through Steam, it's tolerable because I have it available as long as I have 'net.
I think the best way to get rid of piracy is to only sell accounts for online games, and not make a key system which can be hacked. Isn't that what they did to CoD4 on the PC? Keys were as usual easily generated, and they had no central repository denying illegal keys. An MMO-like system with a one-time key at minimum, or simply an account you log into every time you want to play online would cut down on piracy.
The best copy protection is none, with special goodies for those who pay for their software. Maya and/or 3D Studio has an integrated shop and texture/material browser with lots to download. Games can have free maps now and then, only downloadable through your account at first.
*makes note to stop using hentai for education*
It's only a problem if the debit account is in fact a debit account with some credit. Sane banks don't allow debit accounts to fall below zero. They'd be credit accounts then, right?
Free and open, lightweight Torrent client? Sure, use Transmission.
http://www.transmissionbt.com/
it's actually already happening:
http://guitarrising.com/
A former cow-orker did something daft like that with an AMD around the early Duron/Athlon days. :)
He connected an 800MHz Athlon without the heatsink. Four seconds after the power was switched on,
he had a nice, big hole where the CPU was. I would have loved the pictures of that
I want to physically hurt people who abuse Flash. Using a Flash
widget instead of multiple buttons "because it's easier" can be
blamed on inexperience with CSS and other layout, but the worst
offenders are those who use a Flash button instead of a single,
graphical button. Without rollovers. I saw that recently on a site,
and couldn't believe it.
Not only is it a huge waste to replace a static button like that,
but my way of browsing is suddenly forbidden. I go to a site, find
some interesting links and middle-click every one of them. This shold
open the link in a new tab without losing focus of the current tab.
With Flash buttons, there's no rhyme or reason. Some simply don't
accept the middle-click, others open the link like you clicked left.
A special place in Hell is reserved for those who use that opportunity
to open the link IN A NEW WINDOW! Fuckers. Die.
o.O
:P
A reply might Godwin this thread, but..have you done any past-life regression?
Uninstalling the previous ones is OK. Just BLOODY ANNOYING!
Java on Windows is immensely annoying, not just because of the 160MB
"updates" which amount to full downloads of the latest version in
each directory, but also all the advertising for the language.
What use is it to a corporate desktop user to read all that crap
Sun are pushing? They're only using the apps foisted upon them!
Most don't know the difference between Java and Flash, and are just
made aware of their existence when either isn't working for
something they need.
People often also integrate Sparkle into OS X apps, giving them a nifty updater
which checks for updates and handles downloading & installing with next to no
effort from the programmers. I love it. It's so widespread there is barely any
need for a central package manager.
I'd love to see a central uninstaller for all those things which aren't app-bundles,
though. Plugins and instruments are scattered all over the system, with no common
signature in the files so the OS could remove the parts automatically.
Some list words in decreasing order of popularity, though.
At least my Oxford's does that.
I'd require a lobotomy before I could enjoy American Gladiator, but I never miss an episode of Medium.
The episodes of Medium which I watch are worse quality than most other shows. It really looks
like a recode from ripped streams. I think some people aren't affected by mere broadcast flags.