If this wasn't interesting we wouldn't be reading and posting about it.
I'd go so far as to say that a Nerd that hasn't found his/her field of interest; and going totally nerdy on the subject is a very unfulfilled person. Personally it took me quite some time to find the subject which truly satisfied my inner nerd; though along the way I gained some nerdpoints in various fields. Giving me a broad understanding of in an assortment of technical, and political, trivia, but no depth in any. Only when I found my true calling was my inner nerd appeased.
P.S. My Path to Nerdvana is to rewrite all classical literature; using the word Nerd as many places as possible without going all Marklar.
Well it is pretty obvious that for every new generation of programmers the amount users, contributors and developers of Open Source software expands. Having at least a general familiarity with Open Source and Linux has almost become a industry requirement. Not to mention that analysing Open Source code to learn is simply a good idea. The program is there, the code is there, you can study it and learn. The code for Windows, and other Microsoft products,is not so easily available.
At least this is what I hear when I talk to people working in the Norwegian IT Industry and friends current undergoing later stages of their education. The documentation and level of expertise increases at a far far higher rate than what Microsoft, or most other Closed Source companies, can compete with. Open Source might not be for all products or services, but it does to a greater and greater extend serve the need of the average user. And with the Open Source products for the large part being free it makes it very convenient for a student to use Open Office instead of Microsoft Office. Or for administration and educational institutions to switch to a Linux, or other Open Source, products. Not only have it been estimated that such a switch will save the Norwegian Government millions, it also means that the code for the products they use can be scrutinized to a far higher degree than Microsoft would ever allow.
When I was about twelve (or there about) we, the boys at my age at school, found pornography in an old bunker from WW2 (the pornography was current). It got passed around until it disappeared under someone's bed (or so I guess). What's my point? Reality filter now!
We need people going around checking out abandoned buildings and sites to ensure that there is no questioned material hidden away somewhere. I suggest we start by tearing down the scantily clad lads and lasses decorating almost every billboard from north to south (in more or less every industrialized country).
I understand parents wanting to guard their kids from exposure to some of the material on the internet, but jumping on whatever bandwagon is rolling into town does not solve the problem in any constructive way.
Agonizing over issues like material available on the internet is ludicrous; finding such material on the web requires active searching from by the user (or at the very least rolling your head on the keyboard). Ads, commercials and programming directed at children only requires them to sit still and open their eyes and ears. Every time they take the bus to school the roadside is littered with signs and posters of, as I said, scantily clad people with photoshopped bodies that look "better" than anyone (even if they have the genetic combination) can look. Perverting the reality perceived by children by exposing them over and over and over again without society or parents making much of an effort to tell them that Ads are not reality; simply an illusion created to sell.
If parents truly want to protect the minds of their children they should try to understand and reflect upon ALL aspect of the society they live in; not just whatever talking points politicians or the media are pushing at the moment.
The USAF would like to alter the permissive and decentralized nature of the Internet through technological and possibly political means to suit itself.
I reckon that if any entity tries a large scale centralisation of the "the internet" then the users will simply adapt and decentralize in other ways.
The more surveillance present on the internet the less useful it will be as a way to transmit information anonymously. However with advances in wireless technologies setting up other ways to transmit data is not only possible, but easier and cheaper than ever before. It's not about doing things that are illegal, but rather that to ensure freedom, liberty and justice there needs to be ways of communicating that is not subject to government (or corporate) scrutiny.
Of course that is not what this specific case is about, but I fear that whatever measures they implement (or try to) will carry with it a host of other issues that could inhibit the ability of ordinary citizens to access knowledge or data without being logged in an ever growing database. The phrase "if you are not doing anything illegal you have nothing to worry about" is misleading. Since it does not consider the possibility that what you did today, while not illegal, could be used months, years, decades, down the line when the motivations of those with access to the database changes (or indeed the database falls into the hands of antagonistic person(s)).
The lack of education ensures that people are not fully aware of their rights; when people are not aware of their rights they do not know when said rights are removed or violated. Especially if they are, and are kept, ignorant of the decisions made by the government and the legislation, and reform, conducted by their representatives.
Indeed. But they were still not working for the Government. Or well perhaps most of them were working for the government in a planned economy sort of way, but they were not "working for the government" in the way that civil servants are.
The shop keeper could have been said to represent someone outside the basic structure of the planned economy; if he hadn't really been an agent of the Thought Police. However the question remains about whether or not there are other shop keepers in Oceania who are not undercover agents.
Anyway that that entire debate is a digression. The point I was supposed to have made in my last post is that the Government can indeed conduct large scale surveillance, and subsequent control of the population, even if everyone isn't working for the Government. The best weapon for any regime wishing to manipulate and control its citizens is Ignorance. As you say; keep the people uneducated, and distracted, and their ability to resist or pose a serious threat is reduced.
The government can't conduct 1984 style surveillance unless everyone works for, and is part of, the government.
Not to be a nitpicking bastard (okies fine I am), but I seem to recall that the majority of the citizens of Oceania in 1984 didn't work for the government; nor were they as heavily monitored as the party members. Wikipedia have a nice chart that you can look at. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1984_Social_Classes_alt.svg
Of course their lives were still pretty much shit; but the point remains.
Power corrupts, and people that actively seek power aren't always that pure to begin with. The abuse of power is something done frequently in minor and major ways; it is not party specific.
That being said it is easy to blame the Bush administration since they have so indiscreetly manipulated the balance of power within the Government. But the actions undertaken by them are nothing new, just the latest chapter in the ongoing series "How to destroy a free democratic state". Every decade removes a few more rights, with minor counter surges now and again. By counting backwards I'd say that the citizens of the United States were pretty free for a few years following the founding. Gone a bit downhill since then.
Perhaps I exaggerate, but I feel that any outrage over this specific case is too little too late. If people were really concerned about their rights, and how and when people within the state monitors their activities is various ways; They should pay attention to what legislation is actually passed, by who, and when. Then keep that in mind when the same group/individual tries to pass another piece of legislation and actually scrutinize their rhetoric and arguments both past and present.
Stay active. Stay alert. And above all; Stay Vigilant!
For some reason I suddenly had a flash of Google branching into Mercenary activities, or Private Military Contractors as they prefer to be called these days. Squads of Google Soldiers running around with a large Logo on their arm and unlimited bandwidth. Gives the terminology G-Men a new meaning.
At this point nothing of the propaganda generated by EA surprises me. Lets not forget that this is the same company that calls Selling of Used Games a 'Critical Situation,'. Apparently reselling used games is a danger for the business and their profits.
From my point of view crap like this and maleware like DRM software is the true danger to the business. I love computer/video games; and I want to give my money to companies that provide me with entertainment. But this type of policy makes me feel like I am under suspicion for just thinking about buying their product. I can't be bothered selling my old games; though I might give them away if a friend asks nicely.
Since I was a teenager I have exchanged console games, music, books and VHS/DVDs, with my friends. If they give me music I like I buy the record. Though with movies and books we usually just pass it around within our group. Computer games we buy individual copies since we are into Multiplayer and like to play online. However the increased crap thrown at us by the industry has made us reconsider, we have actually returned to our board game roots (or at least playing more board games these days); while there are several factors for this; the draconian rules and stupidity by people like EA is a subject frequently re-visited. Somehow we feel like we are betraying our own principles by buying EA products almost making us consider piracy just so we can play without SecurROM infesting our computers. In fact I know people that have bought games only to download a version of the web for just this reason (not to mention installing and running and image from your Hard-Drive is a tad faster than by CD/DvD).
To conclude; the true treat to the industry and video games in general comes from customer hating companies like EA. Not only are most of the products hyped and pushed by these people crap; we practically have to prove our innocence every step of the way when you want to play one of the products. Even going so far as to installing stuff on your machine that could lead to crashes and sapping resources.
Emotional responses to the outwards appearance of a vehicle is why it should be harder to get a drivers license. There are many people that can't be trusted with the responsibility that comes with driving a car. Operating a car isn't a right, it is a privilege.
What is the issue is that large companies who base their model upon production physical media are trying as hard as they can, with everything they got, to maintain the demand for their products. And they are allied with the distributors who also make ungodly amount of money selling physical media. Digital media, content downloaded of the web, is a direct threat to their profit.
This isn't about protecting intellectual property it is about protecting the flow of money. Of course I don't really think this is a surprise to anyone reading these forums. While this is counter-productive behaviour that hurts artists and consumers equally I have no doubt that the end for many of these companies is drawing nearer and nearer. Not having a good service for the digital distribution of content is the biggest threat to artists something they are realizing in greater and greater numbers. And I expect over the next decade that a exponentially increasing number of artists will find their audience through the web; and distribute their content directly to their fans/customers.
This of course means that yes, jobs will be lost. Lost because they are a part on an industry that can no longer exist in its current form. Of course most of those jobs are in Asia since we all know that CDs/DvDs are made in Taiwan.
I suddenly imagined used versions of Windows XP being put out for sale a "Used Software Store". Or just people buying/getting used versions of XP from people that had upgraded to Vista or gone over to Linux. It would make Microsofts collective heads explode.
Really don't get the times activated Policy they are implementing. It can do nothing but generate bad feeling towards the industry while giving no protection what so ever against piracy. Only ones who suffer are people who want to play their legally bought game online; but find themselves unable to without going through cumbersome reactivation procedures.
I applaud companies like Stardock who have the courage to go against "standard practices" and are rewarded for their effort by seeing higher/healthier sales of their products. Without having to pay an "anti-piracy tax" to a useless DRM producer.
Trademark protection requires that you go after things that try to use a similar name for a similar product, so Blizzard needed to also take action here.
If HP makes a decent version of Linux for their computers, even if it has system locks, could be an important introduction into the OS for many new users.
A growth in the amount of users running Linux, or derivations thereof, could be good for Linux in general. Wider use = wider support. Not to mention that it could help to make porting games for Linux more lucrative.
For crying out loud its a belief. Beliefs are by nature irrational. If you believe that the earth was created by aliens, God, etc it can't be proven either way.
Unless god(s) or the aliens actually shows up and confirms it of course. Even then I reckon there will be wide-ranging debate on the issue.
The people must have access to laws in order to obey them.
Communist! Laws should be kept secret so that terrorists can't abuse them. Whenever someone is arrested they should have to prove that what they did is not illegal; if they can't afford to buy official Law Books they are obviously parasites expecting to get something for free.
Sad but true. Though I do consider the News's purpose to inform about issues of importance; not just issues of interest. Then again, I reckon that is why more and more of us are getting our news from "alternative sources". Hurray for the internet.:)
While I do not doubt that ISO will be around for a long while yet; the case of ODF and OOXML illustrates how their significance isn't all that it used to be. The case of ODF shows that even if a big corporation gets their own standards passed by unethical means people will still choose the superior product. At least so it would seem so far. More and more companies and nations are making ODF a document standard because it is Open and available to all their citizens. Why pay for expensive software when free software does the job more than adequately.
What annoys me the most about cases such as this is the fact that they get little to no coverage in my nations media. No mention in any newspaper at all. Then again it's no big surprise since the "newspapers" are looking more like tabloids every day.
I agree with the principle. However in the real world I have urges that need to be satisfied. Nothing is better than getting a fix of digital entertainment to keep those barking demons at bay. It's either that or the loony bin for me.
Seriously though. I also dislike Microsoft and Windows, but I still have a installation of XP on my computer just so I can play games. It's a compromise I know; but when it come to how I spend my free time I not going to stand on principle. Between work and sleep I need a few hours of play and if I have to give some coin to people I don't like or agree with so be it. No different than the money I give to major record labels or the movie industry (lots of bastards in those sectors to). The world is not perfect.
....just after the first beta, the entire design team plus a contingent of 2K producers headed off to see how a group that knew nothing about our company or BioShock would react to the first level.
I think it is safe to say that what they played at that point was not the same game that we played after launch.
SecuROM makes me think twice about buying a game. However if the game looks good enough I will either buy it and crack it, or buy it and download another copy from the WEB. Luckily in my country it is legal to do this.
Don't mind paying for games, but I do mind installing maleware on my system. Can't really see why Publishers think it is a good idea to share their earnings with a company like SecuROM; that take a piece of the profit; but gives no working copy protection what so ever.
Yeah SecuROM pretty much makes me buy games then find cracks and stuff so I can play without being bothered by intrusive shit. I like my computer working as intended thank you very much. Nothing is worse than the laughable copy protection that were hooked into Mass Effect. If you had several users on the same computer it would lock the game permanently if more than two of them played the game. I don't know what definition of piracy includes family members sharing one copy/computer.
Slashdot Mirror
If this wasn't interesting we wouldn't be reading and posting about it.
I'd go so far as to say that a Nerd that hasn't found his/her field of interest; and going totally nerdy on the subject is a very unfulfilled person. Personally it took me quite some time to find the subject which truly satisfied my inner nerd; though along the way I gained some nerdpoints in various fields. Giving me a broad understanding of in an assortment of technical, and political, trivia, but no depth in any. Only when I found my true calling was my inner nerd appeased.
P.S. My Path to Nerdvana is to rewrite all classical literature; using the word Nerd as many places as possible without going all Marklar.
Well it is pretty obvious that for every new generation of programmers the amount users, contributors and developers of Open Source software expands. Having at least a general familiarity with Open Source and Linux has almost become a industry requirement. Not to mention that analysing Open Source code to learn is simply a good idea. The program is there, the code is there, you can study it and learn. The code for Windows, and other Microsoft products,is not so easily available.
At least this is what I hear when I talk to people working in the Norwegian IT Industry and friends current undergoing later stages of their education. The documentation and level of expertise increases at a far far higher rate than what Microsoft, or most other Closed Source companies, can compete with. Open Source might not be for all products or services, but it does to a greater and greater extend serve the need of the average user. And with the Open Source products for the large part being free it makes it very convenient for a student to use Open Office instead of Microsoft Office. Or for administration and educational institutions to switch to a Linux, or other Open Source, products. Not only have it been estimated that such a switch will save the Norwegian Government millions, it also means that the code for the products they use can be scrutinized to a far higher degree than Microsoft would ever allow.
When I was about twelve (or there about) we, the boys at my age at school, found pornography in an old bunker from WW2 (the pornography was current). It got passed around until it disappeared under someone's bed (or so I guess). What's my point? Reality filter now!
We need people going around checking out abandoned buildings and sites to ensure that there is no questioned material hidden away somewhere. I suggest we start by tearing down the scantily clad lads and lasses decorating almost every billboard from north to south (in more or less every industrialized country).
I understand parents wanting to guard their kids from exposure to some of the material on the internet, but jumping on whatever bandwagon is rolling into town does not solve the problem in any constructive way.
Agonizing over issues like material available on the internet is ludicrous; finding such material on the web requires active searching from by the user (or at the very least rolling your head on the keyboard). Ads, commercials and programming directed at children only requires them to sit still and open their eyes and ears. Every time they take the bus to school the roadside is littered with signs and posters of, as I said, scantily clad people with photoshopped bodies that look "better" than anyone (even if they have the genetic combination) can look. Perverting the reality perceived by children by exposing them over and over and over again without society or parents making much of an effort to tell them that Ads are not reality; simply an illusion created to sell.
If parents truly want to protect the minds of their children they should try to understand and reflect upon ALL aspect of the society they live in; not just whatever talking points politicians or the media are pushing at the moment.
The USAF would like to alter the permissive and decentralized nature of the Internet through technological and possibly political means to suit itself.
I reckon that if any entity tries a large scale centralisation of the "the internet" then the users will simply adapt and decentralize in other ways.
The more surveillance present on the internet the less useful it will be as a way to transmit information anonymously. However with advances in wireless technologies setting up other ways to transmit data is not only possible, but easier and cheaper than ever before. It's not about doing things that are illegal, but rather that to ensure freedom, liberty and justice there needs to be ways of communicating that is not subject to government (or corporate) scrutiny.
Of course that is not what this specific case is about, but I fear that whatever measures they implement (or try to) will carry with it a host of other issues that could inhibit the ability of ordinary citizens to access knowledge or data without being logged in an ever growing database. The phrase "if you are not doing anything illegal you have nothing to worry about" is misleading. Since it does not consider the possibility that what you did today, while not illegal, could be used months, years, decades, down the line when the motivations of those with access to the database changes (or indeed the database falls into the hands of antagonistic person(s)).
I was supposed to add before submitting:
The lack of education ensures that people are not fully aware of their rights; when people are not aware of their rights they do not know when said rights are removed or violated. Especially if they are, and are kept, ignorant of the decisions made by the government and the legislation, and reform, conducted by their representatives.
Indeed. But they were still not working for the Government. Or well perhaps most of them were working for the government in a planned economy sort of way, but they were not "working for the government" in the way that civil servants are.
The shop keeper could have been said to represent someone outside the basic structure of the planned economy; if he hadn't really been an agent of the Thought Police. However the question remains about whether or not there are other shop keepers in Oceania who are not undercover agents.
Anyway that that entire debate is a digression. The point I was supposed to have made in my last post is that the Government can indeed conduct large scale surveillance, and subsequent control of the population, even if everyone isn't working for the Government. The best weapon for any regime wishing to manipulate and control its citizens is Ignorance. As you say; keep the people uneducated, and distracted, and their ability to resist or pose a serious threat is reduced.
The government can't conduct 1984 style surveillance unless everyone works for, and is part of, the government.
Not to be a nitpicking bastard (okies fine I am), but I seem to recall that the majority of the citizens of Oceania in 1984 didn't work for the government; nor were they as heavily monitored as the party members. Wikipedia have a nice chart that you can look at. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1984_Social_Classes_alt.svg
Of course their lives were still pretty much shit; but the point remains.
Power corrupts, and people that actively seek power aren't always that pure to begin with. The abuse of power is something done frequently in minor and major ways; it is not party specific.
That being said it is easy to blame the Bush administration since they have so indiscreetly manipulated the balance of power within the Government. But the actions undertaken by them are nothing new, just the latest chapter in the ongoing series "How to destroy a free democratic state". Every decade removes a few more rights, with minor counter surges now and again. By counting backwards I'd say that the citizens of the United States were pretty free for a few years following the founding. Gone a bit downhill since then.
Perhaps I exaggerate, but I feel that any outrage over this specific case is too little too late. If people were really concerned about their rights, and how and when people within the state monitors their activities is various ways; They should pay attention to what legislation is actually passed, by who, and when. Then keep that in mind when the same group/individual tries to pass another piece of legislation and actually scrutinize their rhetoric and arguments both past and present.
Stay active. Stay alert. And above all; Stay Vigilant!
For some reason I suddenly had a flash of Google branching into Mercenary activities, or Private Military Contractors as they prefer to be called these days. Squads of Google Soldiers running around with a large Logo on their arm and unlimited bandwidth. Gives the terminology G-Men a new meaning.
At this point nothing of the propaganda generated by EA surprises me. Lets not forget that this is the same company that calls Selling of Used Games a 'Critical Situation,'. Apparently reselling used games is a danger for the business and their profits.
From my point of view crap like this and maleware like DRM software is the true danger to the business. I love computer/video games; and I want to give my money to companies that provide me with entertainment. But this type of policy makes me feel like I am under suspicion for just thinking about buying their product. I can't be bothered selling my old games; though I might give them away if a friend asks nicely.
Since I was a teenager I have exchanged console games, music, books and VHS/DVDs, with my friends. If they give me music I like I buy the record. Though with movies and books we usually just pass it around within our group. Computer games we buy individual copies since we are into Multiplayer and like to play online. However the increased crap thrown at us by the industry has made us reconsider, we have actually returned to our board game roots (or at least playing more board games these days); while there are several factors for this; the draconian rules and stupidity by people like EA is a subject frequently re-visited. Somehow we feel like we are betraying our own principles by buying EA products almost making us consider piracy just so we can play without SecurROM infesting our computers. In fact I know people that have bought games only to download a version of the web for just this reason (not to mention installing and running and image from your Hard-Drive is a tad faster than by CD/DvD).
To conclude; the true treat to the industry and video games in general comes from customer hating companies like EA. Not only are most of the products hyped and pushed by these people crap; we practically have to prove our innocence every step of the way when you want to play one of the products. Even going so far as to installing stuff on your machine that could lead to crashes and sapping resources.
Emotional responses to the outwards appearance of a vehicle is why it should be harder to get a drivers license. There are many people that can't be trusted with the responsibility that comes with driving a car. Operating a car isn't a right, it is a privilege.
What is the issue is that large companies who base their model upon production physical media are trying as hard as they can, with everything they got, to maintain the demand for their products. And they are allied with the distributors who also make ungodly amount of money selling physical media. Digital media, content downloaded of the web, is a direct threat to their profit.
This isn't about protecting intellectual property it is about protecting the flow of money. Of course I don't really think this is a surprise to anyone reading these forums. While this is counter-productive behaviour that hurts artists and consumers equally I have no doubt that the end for many of these companies is drawing nearer and nearer. Not having a good service for the digital distribution of content is the biggest threat to artists something they are realizing in greater and greater numbers. And I expect over the next decade that a exponentially increasing number of artists will find their audience through the web; and distribute their content directly to their fans/customers.
This of course means that yes, jobs will be lost. Lost because they are a part on an industry that can no longer exist in its current form. Of course most of those jobs are in Asia since we all know that CDs/DvDs are made in Taiwan.
I suddenly imagined used versions of Windows XP being put out for sale a "Used Software Store". Or just people buying/getting used versions of XP from people that had upgraded to Vista or gone over to Linux. It would make Microsofts collective heads explode.
Really don't get the times activated Policy they are implementing. It can do nothing but generate bad feeling towards the industry while giving no protection what so ever against piracy. Only ones who suffer are people who want to play their legally bought game online; but find themselves unable to without going through cumbersome reactivation procedures.
I applaud companies like Stardock who have the courage to go against "standard practices" and are rewarded for their effort by seeing higher/healthier sales of their products. Without having to pay an "anti-piracy tax" to a useless DRM producer.
Trademark protection requires that you go after things that try to use a similar name for a similar product, so Blizzard needed to also take action here.
Are you saying that Games Workshop have a case?
If HP makes a decent version of Linux for their computers, even if it has system locks, could be an important introduction into the OS for many new users. A growth in the amount of users running Linux, or derivations thereof, could be good for Linux in general. Wider use = wider support. Not to mention that it could help to make porting games for Linux more lucrative.
For crying out loud its a belief. Beliefs are by nature irrational. If you believe that the earth was created by aliens, God, etc it can't be proven either way.
Unless god(s) or the aliens actually shows up and confirms it of course. Even then I reckon there will be wide-ranging debate on the issue.
Facebook censored? What a shocker.
The people must have access to laws in order to obey them.
Communist! Laws should be kept secret so that terrorists can't abuse them. Whenever someone is arrested they should have to prove that what they did is not illegal; if they can't afford to buy official Law Books they are obviously parasites expecting to get something for free.
Ignorance is Freedom!
Sad but true. Though I do consider the News's purpose to inform about issues of importance; not just issues of interest. Then again, I reckon that is why more and more of us are getting our news from "alternative sources". Hurray for the internet. :)
While I do not doubt that ISO will be around for a long while yet; the case of ODF and OOXML illustrates how their significance isn't all that it used to be. The case of ODF shows that even if a big corporation gets their own standards passed by unethical means people will still choose the superior product. At least so it would seem so far. More and more companies and nations are making ODF a document standard because it is Open and available to all their citizens. Why pay for expensive software when free software does the job more than adequately.
What annoys me the most about cases such as this is the fact that they get little to no coverage in my nations media. No mention in any newspaper at all. Then again it's no big surprise since the "newspapers" are looking more like tabloids every day.
I agree with the principle. However in the real world I have urges that need to be satisfied. Nothing is better than getting a fix of digital entertainment to keep those barking demons at bay. It's either that or the loony bin for me.
Seriously though. I also dislike Microsoft and Windows, but I still have a installation of XP on my computer just so I can play games. It's a compromise I know; but when it come to how I spend my free time I not going to stand on principle. Between work and sleep I need a few hours of play and if I have to give some coin to people I don't like or agree with so be it. No different than the money I give to major record labels or the movie industry (lots of bastards in those sectors to). The world is not perfect.
....just after the first beta, the entire design team plus a contingent of 2K producers headed off to see how a group that knew nothing about our company or BioShock would react to the first level.
I think it is safe to say that what they played at that point was not the same game that we played after launch.
SecuROM makes me think twice about buying a game. However if the game looks good enough I will either buy it and crack it, or buy it and download another copy from the WEB. Luckily in my country it is legal to do this.
Don't mind paying for games, but I do mind installing maleware on my system. Can't really see why Publishers think it is a good idea to share their earnings with a company like SecuROM; that take a piece of the profit; but gives no working copy protection what so ever.
Yeah SecuROM pretty much makes me buy games then find cracks and stuff so I can play without being bothered by intrusive shit. I like my computer working as intended thank you very much. Nothing is worse than the laughable copy protection that were hooked into Mass Effect. If you had several users on the same computer it would lock the game permanently if more than two of them played the game. I don't know what definition of piracy includes family members sharing one copy/computer.