DRM Ponderances

[owsf2000]

With all the shit hitting the fan over Spore lately (which was predicted to happen months in advance - iirc it was originally going to have the same phone home scheme as bioshock originally.) I found myself wondering why I hate DRM on the PC far far far more than I hate it on consoles, which are all DRMed as well in their own console specific way.

I suppose the answer would be that it the DRM used on the consoles doesn't prevent or make it a pain to use the game on the console it's designed for. Although I would like to see that weakened a bit further as well. If they start selling console games that have X activations, require me to hook up a modem so the game can phone home, or if something is done so that content gets locked to a specific console. (Oh wait. The downloads stuff does that now doesn't it? :p) then I'll probably truly be ducking out of the console market in the future. (This gen is very iffy as it is. There's a chance I might purchase one or two of the consoles when the prices are down under 200 bucks, assuming games I want are still available, but like I said - that's iffy.)

DRM on the computer is all about making the game NOT work on the system it's designed to. DRM on the consoles is more about preventing copies and preventing homebrewing. (I dislike the preventing homebrewing part, which ends up needing the system to run copies of the homebrews.)

Bah. This entry probably doesn't make much sense. I'm in a rush to go to work, blah blah blah. I'll try to think it over when I have more time and see if I can piece together a more thought out explanation after work.

Comments

[kitten-faust.livejournal.com]

Another important point: DRM on consoles only effects the game that uses it. DRM on computers can effect everything on that computer.

[owsf2000.livejournal.com]

That is one of the bigger points that come to mind for me. My computer isn't intended to be a game center. I do shit on this thing. I do important shit on this thing from time to time. Having to swallow DRM of a game turn around and screw over the functionality that I may need for other things, or outright open the computer to attacks that otherwise would not have existed help reinforce my desire to ignore PC games that I otherwise would have wanted to play.

The Sony rootkit shit that took place a few years back was like this, and pretty much ensured I will never EVER purchase another -audio- CD by Sony Music. And similar BS with some of their other products have made me very unlikely to touch any Sony hardware period. Sure it may be good hardware, but I just can't trust them anymore. I won't give money to someone I don't trust IF I don't have to. And until the day Sony somehow manages a monopoly (And that monopoly survives the courts) over various electronic products that I simply must have, I will shop elsewhere.

... It's usually cheaper elsewhere anyway.

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That is one of the bigger points that come to mind for me. My computer isn't intended to be a game center. I do shit on this thing. I do important shit on this thing from time to time. Having to swallow DRM of a game turn around and screw over the functionality that I may need for other things, or outright open the computer to attacks that otherwise would not have existed help reinforce my desire to ignore PC games that I otherwise would have wanted to play.

The Sony rootkit shit that took place a few years back was like this, and pretty much ensured I will never EVER purchase another -audio- CD by Sony Music. And similar BS with some of their other products have made me very unlikely to touch any Sony hardware period. Sure it may be good hardware, but I just can't trust them anymore. I won't give money to someone I don't trust IF I don't have to. And until the day Sony somehow manages a monopoly (And that monopoly survives the courts) over various electronic products that I simply must have, I will shop elsewhere.

... It's usually cheaper elsewhere anyway. <_< >_>

[owsf2000.livejournal.com]

Also. lulz on the emoticon erroring. :P