A small but startling adendum to the DRM issue - for those with long attention spans

[HundertzehnGustav]

Originally Posted by Diopos

Ancient question. Was it Plato that asked "who will guard us against our guardians ?" or something similar?
Let's do a "what if" ....
What if Cloud Computing Internet was implemented under a soviet-type regime? How would our theorists and champions of individuality and freedom have reacted?




.

There would have been no theorists or individualists.. They would have been found in the logfiles, and shot in the back of the head.

But Cloud computing might somehow head that way - corporations taking over governments, and kicking people in the ass, sending them to jail... by... 2030?

By Then i am off to an Internet an PC free zone of the world.

[Reaves]

That's it! I'm starting my own internet....

And MACS aren't allowed btw.

[Hitman]

Many thanks for the interesting read (Even if it made my stomach revolve and want to vomit) but in any case I think this thread belongs already to the General Topics forum, or even to technical one.

I am the first to slam UBI's new DRM policy, but I understand there are many new SH5 users with no issues with DRM willing to recover control of this forum

Let it be moved

[Captain von Keldunk]

Maybe this SH5 online thing is not really drm but IGA =
In-game advertising

here is link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-game_advertising
..................................
Edit: another link, ubisoft free games for IGA Prince of Persia: Sands of Time; etc..http://www.beyond3d.com/content/news/452
Edi2: The ability to dynamically serve advertising into video games that are connected to the Internet will create a growing opportunity. As gamers connect consoles to the Internet for online gaming and commerce, publishers and their respective console partners increasingly will look to reach them through advertising

[The Enigma]

Yuk, that's even more disgusting.

But I agree, It could be that UBI wants to introduce such advertising as well.

[Sgtmonkeynads]

Convoy Spotted !, Orders Sir?
1. Dive to periscope depth.
2. Maintain Orders
3. Shop at UBI.COM for a better game

[Robsoie]

When one need an application for work it is always a good idea to check the open source world and the talented people coding there.
Not only the sources can actually be checked to avoid some nasty spying and external company control on your system, but most are not some low level applications, but often are as feature packed as the commercial alternative :

Want a valid and good alternative to Office ?
Open Office

Want a valid and good alternative to high level modelling softwares ?
Blender

Want a valid and good alternative to Photoshop ?
Gimp

etc ... etc ...

[Mikkow]

The infrastructure for abuse as potential as this should not even exist.

In the EU now they have been passing legislation that they attempt to impose on every member state that demands that they tap, record and store all personal communication (except mail, because mail is something people learned earlier was something you don't want others to open, and laws were made to protect integrity. Unfortunately corporations are just as interested in smashing privacy as governments are and people have yet to really understand that e-mail and SMS is no different to normal mail and it should be just as protected).

This (by law) forces Internet Providers and phone companies to set up ENORMOUS storage systems to store all the data that people pass around (SMS's, emails, calls and so forth). This is very expensive. But that's fine, because they can pass the cost to the users of digital communication (us).

Data mining is huge business. Marketing departments of every company drools over getting their hands on detailed personal data on as many people as possible so that they can try to figure out the best way to manipulate them into consuming their services/goods.

Governments drool just the same over the same data, because that means they can anticipate more and more and exercise extreme control over their subjects (citizens).

China is a good example of how this is being used. I personally have a REALLY BIG PROBLEM with the idea of people recording, storing and listening/reading my personal communications. I'll be damned if I ever accept more developments like that in the entertainment industry (UbiSoft's new online scheme for example).

It was clear a few years ago that Linux was the only way forward for me once a certain point is reached. I need to get it installed sometime soon and learn how to use it, and then start buying stuff for it and paying for less and less on stuff for the Windows platform. And never-ever support cloud computing or online schemes.

[CaptainHaplo]

"Cloud" computing has been around for decades. In previous incarnations one would simply use what was called a "dumb terminal". However, when the .net framework came out was when MS made it clear they wanted to move toward more a centralized system.

Cloud computing has its uses. There are situations where it outperforms a server/client or peer network structure. Almost every major business that has order, shipping and fulfillment departments uses a form of cloud computiing. If you have ever worked for a company that used an AS400 or Unix style order tracking package, you have worked with cloud computing.

Simply put, the cloud is where all the work is done, instead of locally on your machine. Its not scary or the end of computer freedom. Heck - MMORPGs and such are an adaptation of cloud computing. All the real work in the game goes on at the servers - your "terminal" simply has to do the processing work of how to display the outcomes.

Its also not applicable to the vast majority of games. Requiring an internet connection is not cloud computing either - because your PC is still doing all the work - it just needs to phone home for permission to do that work.

I won't have SH5 until OSP is removed, but don't confuse cloud computing with a simple ET "permission to run" setup.

[The Enigma]

I'm very well aware that cloud computing is

Lucky for me I've changed my MS Office suite for another suite.
And I agree, Linux is becoming more and more appealing to me.

I also want freedom for my digital world, no chains.
If I want to surf the net, then that's my decision when and how.

If I want to be off line using whatever software I've bought, I do not wish
to need an internet connection.

If software demands such connection, I remove it from my PC at once or don't even install it.

Freedom of choice is what I have and nobody can take that away from me.

IMO cloud computing will prove to be another computer hype.

[FinnN]

I'm using a beta of the next version of Office and you don't need to be online all the time to use it.

Have fun
Finn