Why we need a Software Bill of Rights

Hatred towards DRM and other copy protection measures is as high as ever online, so it's hard to find fair articles that look at the problem from both sides.

The following article was written by Dr. John B. Williston, a Ph.D, and it presents one of the most structured and logical articles on the topic you will ever find (for those with the patience to read through all the details).

[Nihilism]

here's why i think we need a gamers bill of right

We as gamers have less right every day, and a bill of right will be a standard that gamers can recognize and are able to identify which features/rights some developers are not giving us, the most important right in their list for me is, not having to have a constant internet connection/not having to have an internet connection for a single player game, i think it's ridiculous that c&c4 will require a constand internet connection and so will not be buying it, even with counterstrike/rts's i play offline deathmatch etc, i hate the push for mandatory online everything

[gamesR4fun]

1. Companies who utilize schemes that prevent backup must accept the burden of all costs required to replace any defective media; i.e., companies that prevent users from protecting themselves against loss must therefore assume responsibility for any such losses.
2. Any CP method that broadly prevents consumers from using legitimately purchased products should be illegal, and any customer who cannot use a product because of its CP code must either (1) be provided with a patch or other means to disable the CP, or (2) have his money refunded.
3. Any person caught violating the relevant copyright laws should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If we’re going to get serious about consumer property rights, then we need to treat violations of intellectual property rights equally seriously if not even more so.

edit man dude can talk... n really who cares about all those WA details zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[PsxMeUP]

The sad thing is, people who pirate C&C4 will probably be able to play the game without internet...

[pippoppow]

DRM does not work at all. It only acts as an annoyance to those who actually bought the game and encourages pirating.

[Sibs]

EDIT: Eh, next time I should post AFTER I read the article, took it the wrong way.