DRM/SecuROM....

[Hexen]

So what is the true purpose behind the DRM/SecuROM scandals especially rampant in today's games (namely PC games) have a habit of having?

I think I understand that it has to do with the Capitalist system where the publishers control the means of production while we just borrow the material?

I think I remember seeing a chart in some other about how the capitalist system worked.

[Hoplite]

DRM is designed to prevent people from copying software without permission. SecuROM is Sony's proprietary DRM software. The problem is it's a pain in the ASS, even for people who legitimately purchase the software it's bundled with.

[Hexen]

DRM is designed to prevent people from copying software without permission. SecuROM is Sony's proprietary DRM software. The problem is it's a pain in the ASS, even for people who legitimately purchase the software it's bundled with.

I know that but I wonder what role does it play under capitalism?

[Hoplite]

I know that but I wonder what role does it play under capitalism?
DRM controls people's ability to copy information, at it's most basic level. These companies sell information and their profit comes from them being the only place to buy that information from. DRM prevents people from copying that information and providing it cheaper, or free, and cutting into their profits.

[¿Que?]

It's just to prevent piracy. These people believe that less piracy will mean more sales. Who knows? Point is they're trying to squeeze more profits out of labor, by limiting access to the product even after point of sale.

[Red Future]

What about Steam ?? and such other third party "sign ups"

[Hoplite]

What about Steam ?? and such other third party "sign ups"
IIRC, the DRM is contained within the software download. Each copy of a game downloaded contains a specific key that is designed to work with Steam. If you copy a game you downloaded off Steam and try to run it elsewhere, it wont work because it'll register that key as being in use elsewhere.

[theblackmask]

While the most apparent reason for DRM in software is to prevent piracy, as stated above, I would argue that it goes deeper than that. DRM, both the Sony and Steam versions, are slowly eroding our sense of ownership over our own software.

Back in the day, if I wanted to take a PC game over to a friends and play it there, I could. I would maybe have to take the instruction manual, or even one of those crazy decoder ring things, but the software was still mine.

Now, I can still do the same thing, in most cases, but not to the same extent. I could go over to a friends and sign into my Steam account, and be able to access everything there...but what if for some reason I am banned from Steam? The Steam TOS clearly state that "Regardless of who was using your account at the time it was banned, the use and security of your Steam account is your responsibility." What if my account is hacked or someone just does something plain stupid with my account? All those games that I thought I had instant access to anywhere are gone. Also, has anyone ever tried to use Steam in offline mode?(hint: it really only barely works)

We are slowly shifting to a point where we don't own software anymore, we are allowed to use it, and DRM is the beginning of this, under the guise of "stopping piracy."

How long is it until Apple decides to disable apps on iPhones because you didn't pay your phone bill? How long until ALL games require an internet connection to play so that you can send "feedback" on bugs? This is the path DRM is leading us down, closed marketplaces where you get access to "your" games in the cloud...Piracy has little to do with it, profit has everything.

[psgchisolm]

While the most apparent reason for DRM in software is to prevent piracy, as stated above, I would argue that it goes deeper than that. DRM, both the Sony and Steam versions, are slowly eroding our sense of ownership over our own software.

Back in the day, if I wanted to take a PC game over to a friends and play it there, I could. I would maybe have to take the instruction manual, or even one of those crazy decoder ring things, but the software was still mine.

Now, I can still do the same thing, in most cases, but not to the same extent. I could go over to a friends and sign into my Steam account, and be able to access everything there...but what if for some reason I am banned from Steam? The Steam TOS clearly state that "Regardless of who was using your account at the time it was banned, the use and security of your Steam account is your responsibility." What if my account is hacked or someone just does something plain stupid with my account? All those games that I thought I had instant access to anywhere are gone. Also, has anyone ever tried to use Steam in offline mode?(hint: it really only barely works)

We are slowly shifting to a point where we don't own software anymore, we are allowed to use it, and DRM is the beginning of this, under the guise of "stopping piracy."

How long is it until Apple decides to disable apps on iPhones because you didn't pay your phone bill? How long until ALL games require an internet connection to play so that you can send "feedback" on bugs? This is the path DRM is leading us down, closed marketplaces where you get access to "your" games in the cloud...Piracy has little to do with it, profit has everything.
Steam does make exceptions for things where your account was hacked and you send in a recovery form. Steam doesn't ban you. VAC(Valve Anti-Cheat) is what actually bans you. You can play your games, just not in servers with VAC enabled.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100729173448AA39Ucq

[theblackmask]

Except that non-VAC servers are where everyone goes to cheat:)

Not to mention that some games, like Call of Duty, don't have non-VAC servers, and this is probably going to be the norm going into the future.

[Hexen]

The main point though, does it go back to how capitalism works while they control the means of production while we just simply borrowing and 'given permission' to use the material while it goes back to them? Is this how capitalism works?

Hence this this DRM/SecuROM scheme is another practice of the capitalist system?

[Hoplite]

The main point though, does it go back to how capitalism works while they control the means of production while we just simply borrowing and 'given permission' to use the material while it goes back to them? Is this how capitalism works?

Hence this this DRM/SecuROM scheme is another practice of the capitalist system?
The basic justification is by buying a piece of software, you are buying the right to use it as you please. You are NOT buying the right to COPY it and DRM ensures that you dont copy the material.