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[eyeliner]

I don't consider Steam as DRM. I can play my game(s) in any PC my heart desires, as long as I can install it. I actually like that Steam thing.

Those "CD/DVD required in drive" games are the ones that piss me off the most.

A decent DRM would be lower the prices of retail games a bit and give freebies to players that register their original copies, kind of like Nintendo does with their stars catalog.

You buy a new game, you get points that you can redeem for something later. Works for me.

[s_l_m]

All that more advanced DRM does is piss of consumers

with the exception of steam

Yeah, steam can stay

I don't consider Steam as DRM. I can play my game(s) in any PC my heart desires, as long as I can install it. I actually like that Steam thing.

Those "CD/DVD required in drive" games are the ones that piss me off the most.

A decent DRM would be lower the prices of retail games a bit and give freebies to players that register their original copies, kind of like Nintendo does with their stars catalog.

You buy a new game, you get points that you can redeem for something later. Works for me.

I love points systems, I have gotten so much cool stuff through the Disney one that if I am ever in a store deciding between a Disney and a non-Disney movie. I will usually go with the Disney one just for the added bonus of the points. Companies should never underestimate the power of free stuff

[trq]

This is a bit off-topic, but look at that example of "good" DRM-like thing for academic texts: no free knowledges for students, in addition to tuition fees you have to buy books with access codes to get grades.

Is it legal, anyway?

[Capntastic]

Hey it was mentioned upthread quite a ways, but does anyone have any numbers regarding mobile game piracy versus PC or console game piracy?  I know you can jailbreak your phones and do ROMcarts and stuff, but all of that seems to take way more effort than just torrenting an iso.

[PompiPompi]

This is a bit off-topic, but look at that example of "good" DRM-like thing for academic texts: no free knowledges for students, in addition to tuition fees you have to buy books with access codes to get grades.

Is it legal, anyway?

That's the least of the worst things in the Academia... Yea, I don't like the Academia that much...
The Academy people are as greedy as everyone else, the quest for expanding knowledge is just propoganda they tell everyone.

[s_l_m]

This is a bit off-topic, but look at that example of "good" DRM-like thing for academic texts: no free knowledges for students, in addition to tuition fees you have to buy books with access codes to get grades.

Is it legal, anyway?

That's the least of the worst things in the Academia... Yea, I don't like the Academia that much...
The Academy people are as greedy as everyone else, the quest for expanding knowledge is just propoganda they tell everyone.

Yeah, last time I bought a university computer text digitally It came with drm that let me keep the book I paid for for (get this) 6 months. Needless to say I was pissed

[Evan Balster]

So I want to express this thing I have been thinking on for some time.


HOW TO MAKE A GOOD DRM:

1. Make a Good Thing that will demonstrate an abundance of worth to the person who uses it.

2. Program into it a means of detecting whether the copy is legitimate, but take NO ACTION if it is not.

3. After a period of time or event where it can be ascertained that the Good Thing has demonstrated its value, make an appeal to users of illegitimate copies.  Explain that the Good Thing came from a Real Person who Worked Hard to make it and hopes you like it enough to justify its monetary cost.

4. Offer to let the person pay for the Good Thing.  Do not take it away from them if they do not.  Making further appeals only with great care; do not harass the user to the point where you detract value from the Thing.


Why is this a "Good DRM"?

- The "DRM" in question is extremely unlikely to be removed, given it poses zero restrictions and non-casual pirates (crackers, notably) tend to be believers in paying for things which have demonstrated their worth.

- By no means will all pirate users purchase the software, but some of them will.  Again, your case rests on demonstrating the value of your Thing, making a case that it's worth paying for, and making that easy to do.

- There is a chance that users who would not have purchased your Thing conventionally (the so-called "non-lost sales") may become paying customers, by virtue of imposing a conversion rate on pirate users.  It's not inconceivable that this could offset the "costs" of piracy.


Model citizen:

[hanako]

Considering the number of people who've responded to equally polite requests with

"screw you, art should be free"
or
"if i paid for anything i would buy it from a big company because I trust them"
or
"if every sale counts for you you obviously suck at business and deserve to fail"

I doubt it would make any actual difference, although it might feel nice.

The "DRM" in question is extremely unlikely to be removed, given it poses zero restrictions and non-casual pirates (crackers, notably) tend to be believers in paying for things which have demonstrated their worth.

Except for the ones who want to crack everything so they can put their names in it. Some of them really enjoy modifying the title screens of games so that they can claim everything belongs to them. 

I'm not arguing against it - I mostly don't bother putting DRM on my games at all, and I see no problem with a polite one - I'm just dubious of it having any effect.

[John Sandoval]

"screw you, art should be free"

Disgusting.

[Evan Balster]

I think the "polite" DRM thing might actually warrant its own thread.  I'm gonna go start one...

It's over here

[s_l_m]

I think the "polite" DRM thing might actually warrant its own thread.  I'm gonna go start one...

It's over here

I award you ten internets