Quote of the day :)

Yesterday, 03:56 PM

SoulThief Registered User Registered: Jul 2006 Posts: 255

Quote: Originally Posted by zatamos i have several reasons to stay in pc gaming : - i can download games i don't want to pay - games are less expensive - i don't have to pay to have additionnal maps, nor to play online Buy a PSP, or a PS3, there are no additional maps available on them so buying them is impossible, it doesn't have games, so you pay nothing, and hell MP is free, it's the perfect console for you .

Source: Maxconsole.net's forums

Uber-hacker Max Vision misses the killswitch {El Reg}

An interesting story, how hacker with multiple identities came to his end.

"Having already done time in prison, Max Butler - aka Max Vision - went to great extremes to cloak his new and allegedly-illegal activities from prying eyes."

(...)

"And he maintained at least four online identities, including Iceman, Aphex, Digits and Darkest."

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Lawyerless eBayer sues Autodesk over garage-sale miracle {El Reg}

In much the same way the light-sabred Jedi Knight stood up to the DMCA-waving lawyers at Viacom, defending the rights of YouTubers everywhere, Happy Hour Vernor is leading the charge for eBayers, intent on curbing the DMCA doings of software maker Autodesk. And he's asking for 10m USD as a "loss" while his account has been disabled. And has no lawyer.

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Totalitarianism in Bioshock Case: 2K has lack of FAIR USE

Games.tiscali.cz linked to 2K forums' interesting post by user Jester (here).

It's really interesting, in the eyes of 2K, you should be the only person allowed to play Bioshock, because installing it under different accounts counts as another activation. So in fact you are buying the game only for yourself, not the household/family... What's next? Providing fingerprint before we can start GTA IV and monitoring by web cam, if the right person is playing?

Looks like the World War is nearer again, publisher versus users this time. I simply think 2K has just crossed the line, where ethics are beaten up by abusing of law for maximum profit.
Even Microsoft allows more accounts under their OEM licencesed Windows!

Here is mirrored post, just in case of any censorship:

Thread: Talk about SecuROM and activation issues here only please!

09-04-2007, 02:53 PM

Jakester Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 35

So...here are a few posts from a thread that was deleted in the tech support forum. I find it a bit telling: Quote: Nemesisdesignz wrote: I installed Bioshock on my laptop under one admin user, Everything works fine, but I then tried to switch users on my computer and whenever I launch Bioshock it is asking me to enter my serial again for the game.... IS THIS GONNA CHARGE ME TWO OF MY 5 Activations???? IF SO THAT IS GAY.... I need to know this ASAP before I attempt to play this on my pc under the other user... THis is a bug if the case be....so get yo stuff fixed! Now, I agree that the poster was being a bit of a tool, but it's a good question. Here's the response from moderator 2k Tech JT: Quote: 2k Tech JT writes: The other way to view this, is one USER has purchased the game. Not the whole family. So why should your brother play for free? My response: Quote: Jakester writes: If your spouse buys a book, do you go out and buy another copy if you want to read it, or do you read it when she's not or when she's done? If you purchase a DVD, do you buy one copy for each of your friends and family who are going to watch the movie with you? Do you ever lend or borrow movies? Why should my brother play for free? Because it's FAIR USE of a product I have purchased. I have been holding off on purchasing BioShock because of the DRM (and if you think it's necessary, check out this GalCiv2 thread). However, this mentality of blatant disrespect of people who purchased your game, and the no-longer-veiled attempts to deny basic fair use rights of legitimate purchasers is reprehensible. I'm sorry, Ken Levine -- based on the demo, you made a kick-ass game, but it's one I wont' be buying (nor will it be one I'm playing). Further, I'll not be buying any 2k/Take-two games on any platform. IF it means no GTA, so be it. If it means no Manhunt 2 (I was going to support them because I don't appreciate censorship, either, even though I only marginally enjoyed the first game), then so be it. We can talk on these forums until our fingers bleed, but what will make a difference is when we speak with our purchasing dollars and do not support a company that "permits" its customers to use their software at the publisher's whim. Now, I know 2k publishes good and popular games, but, really, if you don't like the taste of crap, stop eating filet mignon wrapped in crap!

10 Years of Literary Genius: Maddox's Jubilee

Just checked his web (maddox.xmission.com, if you don't know) and discovered this brand new header. It's really interesting, is it really that long? 10 years of honest confessions, brutal and ruthless humor, hateful, but meaningful and fitting articles, tons of entertaining stuff (if you are not so easily offended, know what the irony and sarcasm is and don't have hypocrite tendencies, that's it)... = 10 years of The Best Page in the Universe !

According to this snapshot of his website from 97', yes, it has been or will be very soon.

Impressive, he's my unstoppable, rock steady pirate hero!

Thank you, Maddox, for all the years and MB's of text and pictures!

This one is golden:

By maddox

Yay for meat eaters, yay!*

Getting offended? Well, that's just what I have been writing about, don't visit his website then :)

Bye for now, Titan Quest: Immortal Throne is awaiting me..

Security SNAFU exposes email logins for 100 foreign embassies {El Reg}

That's interesting..and alarming:

Underscoring a major susceptibility threatening thousands of high-profile computer users across the world, a Swedish security consultant has published login credentials belonging to some 100 embassies.

The consultant, Dan Egerstad, says the list is only part of a much bigger problem that allowed him to gain credentials for more than 1,000 email accounts around the world, including at least one belonging to an employee of a company that generates more than $10bn in annual revenue. He declined to offer specific details for fear they would be misused by criminals.

Summary: many weak passwords (1234, cities where embassies are etc.), login credentials are exposed by "a common security application" and so on. A bit depressing, how (Very) Important People can and are dumb.
Link to the Egerstad's list of login credentials included in the article, try one or two if you dare :)

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