Penny Arcade DRM thing

[kane_magus]

Regarding the whole DRM issue, looks like Penny Arcade is running a series of guest writers who are talking about the subject. Pretty interesting stuff so far. In case you don't normally follow Penny Arcade at all (or if you just read the comics portion and don't bother with the blogs), you should consider giving it a look.

I don't know how many parts this will end up having, but here's part one and part two and part three.

Oh and, of course, it being Penny Arcade and all, there are some comics involved in there somewhere too.

Comments

[yamen.livejournal.com]

From what I remember reading on the site, it's a three part thing.

[owsf2000.livejournal.com]

I wonder if that means they plan on having one person from each perspective writing. One totally against, one wishywashy in between, and one gung ho for DRM.

[kane-magus.livejournal.com]

Looks like this last guy (http://www.penny-arcade.com/2008/9/29/) is the most stridently anti-DRM of the three.

[owsf2000.livejournal.com]

And it's why I think he deserves a little shrine for the common folk to pray at.

Seriously tho, he's closest to my own views on the subject. The more I think about "piracy" or someone stealing a game I created, etc, if they're a player and it's not for profit, I'm likely not to care. The only things that put a chill down my spine or make me aprehensive is someone else trying to make a profit off of my work. In short, I don't care who plays, but if anyone is to profit off of it, it should be me.

Meaning bootleggers of various sorts are the type that get me pissy far far far more than anything john doe will be able to do by playing it for themselves. (This includes people who try to get around the spirit of the rule by freely offering copies - but charging for the "labour" and postage. I wouldn't care if it was a person doing it for a friend mind you. I mean someone who's doing it for anyone who sends them an email and a 10 dollar paypal "donation".)