The Shepherd's Wake Comments http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com Technology, Politics, Sports and anything else I can think of. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:20:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Chris Canfield http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2008/03/06/steam-drm/#comment-87 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:51:23 +0100 http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2008/03/06/steam-drm/#comment-87 One good thing: if you ever go to another computer (including work or a different machine) you can log in to steam on that machine and re-download your game. You can play your games on multiple machines that way, including on machines you don't own. If you run out of hard drive space, you can un-install games with the knowledge that if you ever want to try them again (and Valve doesn't go under), you can just re-download them. And if you go through Steam's purchasing interface, their deep catalog actually hits some titles like Psychonauts. It's the closest thing to cloud software ownership I've seen. I've been waiting so long to get away from traditional software retail channels, and I'm happy to see it finally start happening in a substantive way. In the balance, you lose re-sale. That's a shame, but I was under the impression that the PC game resale market is pretty much non-existant at the moment anyway. I guess what I'm saying is that Steam isn't *just* DRM. The Xbox 360-esque cross-title friending is quite nice. But what is killer is the ability to think "I need to try Jade Empire," buy it right there, download and play it, then log in at a friend's house, download it, and show it to them. Delete it from your tiny laptop, but play it on your work machine. etc. Compared to the DRM coming out of EA, it's utopia. One good thing: if you ever go to another computer (including work or a different machine) you can log in to steam on that machine and re-download your game. You can play your games on multiple machines that way, including on machines you don’t own. If you run out of hard drive space, you can un-install games with the knowledge that if you ever want to try them again (and Valve doesn’t go under), you can just re-download them. And if you go through Steam’s purchasing interface, their deep catalog actually hits some titles like Psychonauts.

It’s the closest thing to cloud software ownership I’ve seen. I’ve been waiting so long to get away from traditional software retail channels, and I’m happy to see it finally start happening in a substantive way.

In the balance, you lose re-sale. That’s a shame, but I was under the impression that the PC game resale market is pretty much non-existant at the moment anyway.

I guess what I’m saying is that Steam isn’t *just* DRM. The Xbox 360-esque cross-title friending is quite nice. But what is killer is the ability to think “I need to try Jade Empire,” buy it right there, download and play it, then log in at a friend’s house, download it, and show it to them. Delete it from your tiny laptop, but play it on your work machine. etc.

Compared to the DRM coming out of EA, it’s utopia.

]]> by: thing http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2008/03/06/steam-drm/#comment-86 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:00:55 +0100 http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2008/03/06/steam-drm/#comment-86 you wouldn't be able to sell a used pc game anyway, at least not to anyone that is interested in multiplayer for games that use cd-keys you wouldn’t be able to sell a used pc game anyway, at least not to anyone that is interested in multiplayer for games that use cd-keys

]]> by: Mack D. Male http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/11/09/in-between-the-years/#comment-85 Sat, 10 Nov 2007 02:08:34 +0000 http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/11/09/in-between-the-years/#comment-85 Heh, exactly. I'd argue that it's not equivalent to breaking the speed limit though. The speed limit is imposed by the government; the price of music is determined by the market. Heh, exactly. I’d argue that it’s not equivalent to breaking the speed limit though. The speed limit is imposed by the government; the price of music is determined by the market.

]]> by: Irene http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/31/the-end-almost/#comment-84 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 22:06:58 +0100 http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/31/the-end-almost/#comment-84 Glad to hear you are back safely. I'm sure you need a few days rest but look forward to hearing about the balance of your trip. Glad to hear you are back safely. I’m sure you need a few days rest but look forward to hearing about the balance of your trip.

]]> by: Carol http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/13/august-11-day-42/#comment-83 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:01:56 +0100 http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/13/august-11-day-42/#comment-83 Nice pictures. It appears to be a similar landscape to what we see around Yellowknife. Nice pictures. It appears to be a similar landscape to what we see around Yellowknife.

]]> by: Joyce http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/13/august-12-day-43/#comment-82 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 20:31:16 +0100 http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/13/august-12-day-43/#comment-82 Brett and Ally are at 4H camp this week so it is VERY quiet here. Mark started work at Sport Mart. It has been a little cooler here and we just finished outdoor soccer now. Mark's team got fourth and Ally's fifth at provincials. Now we look to hockey and indoor soccer. Glad you have more time now and won't have to rush back. Now you can truly see all you want. Brett and Ally are at 4H camp this week so it is VERY quiet here. Mark started work at Sport Mart. It has been a little cooler here and we just finished outdoor soccer now. Mark’s team got fourth and Ally’s fifth at provincials. Now we look to hockey and indoor soccer. Glad you have more time now and won’t have to rush back. Now you can truly see all you want.

]]> by: Iva http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/13/august-12-day-43/#comment-81 Wed, 15 Aug 2007 00:36:37 +0100 http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/13/august-12-day-43/#comment-81 Hi Kevin, Sorry it has been awhile since I sent a note to you. We received 2 postcards from you this week and Grandma was very pleased with them again,as well as your journal writings. Uncle Jim has been sick since Aug. 6th with a viral flu bug, and has just started doing things again today the 14th. He did go to the doctor and they said there really was not anything they could do for him, seeing as how it wss a viral flu. It sounds like your trip has been going very well so far. It sounds like you have had a little bit of a bad go with the weather, but I guess you have got away extremely lucky so far with all the days you have been gone. Hopefully you will continue to have good weather. We plan on going away this weekend to Innisfail. We will leave on the 17th and come back on the 19th . We only have a little while left to take advantage of the trailer for the year, so we best get it used to the fullest. Take care of yourself . We miss you, but it sure is nice to be able to communicate with you this way. Love you . Iva Hi Kevin, Sorry it has been awhile since I sent a note to you. We received 2 postcards from you this week and Grandma was very pleased with them again,as well as your journal writings. Uncle Jim has been sick since Aug. 6th with a viral flu bug, and has just started doing things again today the 14th. He did go to the doctor and they said there really was not anything they could do for him, seeing as how it wss a viral flu. It sounds like your trip has been going very well so far. It sounds like you have had a little bit of a bad go with the weather, but I guess you have got away extremely lucky so far with all the days you have been gone. Hopefully you will continue to have good weather. We plan on going away this weekend to Innisfail. We will leave on the 17th and come back on the 19th . We only have a little while left to take advantage of the trailer for the year, so we best get it used to the fullest. Take care of yourself . We miss you, but it sure is nice to be able to communicate with you this way. Love you . Iva

]]> by: Carol http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/09/august-8-day-39/#comment-80 Sat, 11 Aug 2007 17:56:17 +0100 http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/09/august-8-day-39/#comment-80 Wow - you are getting good at this photography thing. The pictures are great, and really show the fabulous scenery in Newfoundland. Wow - you are getting good at this photography thing. The pictures are great, and really show the fabulous scenery in Newfoundland.

]]> by: Irene http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/09/august-8-day-39/#comment-79 Fri, 10 Aug 2007 22:47:55 +0100 http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/09/august-8-day-39/#comment-79 Beautiful pictures. Glad to hear everything is going well. Beautiful pictures. Glad to hear everything is going well.

]]> by: Joyce http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/06/august-5-day-36/#comment-78 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:10:26 +0100 http://theshepherdswake.blogsome.com/2007/08/06/august-5-day-36/#comment-78 We also thought the Cabot Trail was breath taking. Wally's brother in law is from Cheticamp and we went whale watching while going through there. Hopefully you can get to PEI. I have heard it is beautiful. We also thought the Cabot Trail was breath taking. Wally’s brother in law is from Cheticamp and we went whale watching while going through there. Hopefully you can get to PEI. I have heard it is beautiful.

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