Dark, Several points I want to make here.
Hardware locking of software, or effectively the same, is common in other areas as well. SNES cartridges didn't work in Nintendo 64's, 64's cartridges didn't work in GameCube, etc. If your console died, you either needed to get another console that worked with the games you owned, or not play them. I realize it isn't a direct comparison, but it's a similar situation. It's the huge rate of piracy in this industry that makes it necessary to do this. We resisted locking our games down for ten years, but that hasn't worked all that well, because many folks in the VI community…not all by any means but a significant number…justify it by saying they are on a fixed income, etc. Somehow, that makes it okay to steal games. Sad, but true. Your iTunes comment is baffling, though. iTunes is the #1 digital music seller by a huge margin, does not sell music with DRM, and uses a variant of an open format. iTunes tracks can be played on a wide variety of players, not just Apple produced ones. In fact, MP3 is a far more encumbered format in terms of licensing. You just don't think of it as so, because it has become so ubiquitous. It was the record labels, not APple, that insisted on the DRM, and as soon as it became possible, Apple used its power in the industry to ditch it, as it was far more trouble than it was worth. TV and movie content still is DRM encumbered, but that's true no matter where you get it from, and neither Apple or anyone else at this point has the power to challenge HOllywood to change the status quo. As for as Justin's decision goes…I think he's got every right to retain his intellectual copyright, and, as a developer, I'm frankly appalled at the sentiments toward Justin and his decisions. He worked hard on those games. Why should he give them away? I guess I'll know what to expect if I ever retire. It's these kinds of attitudes that push debs away from interacting with the community. It's why I rarely do. On Apr 23, 2013, at 6:57 AM, dark <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Dallas. > > such limits are not actually just on audio games. Avg antivirus and pc tuneup > programs limit you to two machines, and supernova limits you to three (though > with supernova you get an extra license each month). > > the issue however, is that as Tom said, neither AVg nor Dolphin are likely to > go out of business soon, thus meaning replacement keys are always obtainable, > indeed I've had so many different licenses for supernova over the years on > five or six different machines I can't count, particularly with all the > version upgrades or even be in a position where if I really needed a new key > I couldn't get one. > > Most graphical indi developers I've seen use name generated key systems, or > even just sell you a download of a straight installer, (I've not bought many > graphical indi games but I do have a couple, which i've installed on a couple > of machines). > > One thing I do find odd, is that the security for software is so different > from the security of buying other content across the internet. > > for example, there are I imagine not a few people on hear who know the > internet audio drama series Leviathan chronicles, (and if not, check it out > it' is great!). > > As people will know, while the main series is free, various audio extras are > available to buy, such as special edition episodes and directors cut versions > of the main series. When however you buy these, you simply get a download > link with an expiration on it. You download the episodes, then the link won't > work anymore, however that is it! no passwords, no codes nada! just download > and play. > > yes, this makes them infinitely piratable if a person chose, but equally the > producers are banking on people's honesty, partiuclarly since they offer so > much for free and are very much an indi audio company. > > while some audio companies have proprietory software, encripted files etc, > Leviathan, and a few others recognize this does no good, ----- after all, > pretty much anything! that plays can be coppied with a digital reccorder, > (one reason why apple's itunes system is rather doomed). > > Yet, why can indi audio producers have this level of trust in their > customers, when if anything their work is easier! to pirate, while software > developers do not? > > that people will pirate things is inevitable, and I'm pretty sure if I > searched around there are pirated copies of Leviathan floating about, but > that didn't make the producers attempt some draconian system of control, so > what is so different with indi developed software? > > Beware the Grue! > > Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [email protected]. 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