Are NO-CD cracks for games illegal?

[Ming]

Yeah... games will probably move to a subscription basis, and end up costing us more money in the long run. Console games will also be big...

[MoonWolf]

Statistics... ah! how fun they are! 10 out of 9 look blindly at them! A lot of the companies automatically convert the pirated versions to direct loss without even considering that people would maybe never had that game/ CD/ DVD if the only way was to buy them. Unfortunately, the politicans easily buy this propaganda without researching it any deeper.

Yes, I agree that if you've created something commercial and people want this, they should pay for your work if you require that. But when you buy this product, you should have the right to play around as you wish.

Luckly, I live in Norway. Here it is illegal to make deals that gives me less rights than the law says. So I don't care if that EULA says I can't copy the game, can't use a no-CD patch or whatever. Cause the law says it legal to have copies for your personal usage and even loan to your friends and family! If the companies make a CD/ DVD that is impossible to copy, I can accept this if I get a new copy quickly if the old one doesn't work anymore. The foolish attempt from Sony lately to install all that BS on people's computers, tell how far companies will drive this. Am I then allowed to install cameras inside my neightbourss house so I can catch him in case he want to steal my mail?

[Ming]

I agree that once you have paid for the game, it should be legal to play around with it as much as you want. But that doesn't include depriving the manufacturer revenue by allowing other to steal the game for free because of your actions.

I also agree that Sony crossed the line... and should be penalized for their actions. Just like they don't want us to break the law, I don't want companies like them to break the law... which they did!

But in the long run, market conditions will dictate the products we can buy. If piracy gets to such a point that it isn't worth it for companies to produce software, there will be a big problem. Companies don't produce stuff for free... they are in business to make money. So I expect them to come up with LEGAL ways to protect their investment. And in the long run, it might mean it will cost us more money.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Ming
Companies are going to have figure out new revenue models... because people aren't going to produce stuff that they don't have a chance of making money on.

It could mean even more draconian anti-piracy tactics, or it could mean that people will stop producing leading edge stuff because there will be no money in it.

It depends. Stardock has some success with the way they sold Galatic Civilization. Otherwise they wouldn't be making a sequel.

Maria Schneider won a Grammy Award - and made money - on an album that's sold only through the Web.

So the market is there, but you just have to reach it. At any rate, I have always thought that the "mass market" is largely a myth, esp in this day and age.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Last Conformist
When did anyone ever buy a game because they couldn't get it illegally?

There must be one person out there some where but there aren't to many of them. Far more people download a game or music, decide they like it, then go buy a legit copy because they want to support the makers/band.

[Ming]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Far more people download a game or music, decide they like it, then go buy a legit copy because they want to support the makers/band.

And even far more people just download a game or music, decide they like it, and then laugh as they screw the makers/band out of any revenue. And that's a problem!

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by Ming
You are correct... change is coming, because the industry really does have no choice. But, will the change be for the better??????

Well who knows? I expect that for music it will mean a shift in emphasis which I can see being a very good thing. As for games and film, well, if the advancements in technology become sufficient to allow the easy production of these, but again, who knows?