Thread: DRM questions
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Old December 16th, 2014, 12:53 PM
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Default Re: DRM questions

@ibol,
Seriously, as a software developer I understand the high value of the IP so DRM might make sense if it deters more piracy than potential customers. I really do have the machines I've mentioned, I really do shift which ones I use through out the day or week and while I can probably pick 3 to install on I wonder why I would have to do so.

Fair use (1 license, 1 user) would suggest allowance to install on all those machines. I'm not a pirate, I pay for whatever I use (I have no pirated software whatsoever including overused shareware, over installed software or illegally shared from/with friends) and many of my tools (or services like Steam) allow for me to be liberal with my machines as long as I don't have the software/game running (or possibly installed) on too many simultaneously.

Sure Adobe, Microsoft, et al. have DRM but they've been moving toward a simultaneous use case or at least allowed for activation and deactivation of a generous number of machines. Even iTunes allows for 5 computers and unlimited devices with activation/deactivation. Obviously there are trade offs (more intrusive but flexible DRM vs bug once, die later).

I should mention, I upgrade my machines a lot (1 to 2 times a year). Which upgrades will burn an activation? Also, what happens 3, 5, 10 years down the road? I think your game has a real good chance of having a nethack or weird worlds type of lifespan but not if it has DRM. I'm sure you could patch it then to remove the DRM but now people have to download that patch if they can even find it.

I bought the game and I'm sure I'll enjoy it tremendously but I'm not buying a second copy to satisfy a DRM requirement and I'll be a bit more careful who I recommend it too since some people just won't buy or play a DRM'd game on a PC.

I regularly re-purchase a game from a source like GOG where the DRM has been removed just so I don't have to worry about what machine I have it on at the time. Lately, I've been waiting for a game to be offered DRM free before buying it or buying it from a DRM free source if its available. Xenonauts is a recent example.

Well, that's my 2 cents plus a dollar. DRM isn't an easy subject with a simple answer.
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