Starforce Posts Their objections to Toms Hardware Article - Page 15

Marhkimov · 01-10-06, 12:59 AM

OLD THREAD... if necessary, I recommend burning it and making a new one...

Soulcommander · 01-10-06, 01:16 AM

Dont burn it...There are stil people that come here and have no clue until they read these posts why their system is having problems. But sure I could post a new thread.

Marhkimov · 01-10-06, 01:18 AM

Hmm, good point... I stand corrected.

Iceman · 01-10-06, 02:08 AM

I thank you for this thread being brung up...I had installed Sh III on my system for about a week ..I did not care for it and have since sold it and did not realize until this thread there was a Starforce Removal Tool I found by googling it....Havent had a chance to burn any cds..havent had the need but Ill be peed if it dont work cause of something like this...but not surprised.

Again I thank you because I work in computer field and work on "Alot" of customers machines and see "All" kinds of crap and this is just one more to be aware of possible related problems....

sometimes I think we would have been better off with no technology....hum. :hmm:

One thing I teach customers is...Don't be shocked when out of the blue they fail and ya lose all info on ur computer.

I guarentee it will happen.

If it is made by us humans it will fail.

Marhkimov · 01-10-06, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iceman

sometimes I think we would have been better off with no technology....hum. :hmm:

Agreed.

Wim Libaers · 01-10-06, 05:27 PM

Disagreed.

Technology can help or hurt, it depends on intent and realizing what it is and isn't capable of.

Marhkimov · 01-10-06, 08:17 PM

Well, for one... I could be out getting some excercise if I wasn't typing this message in response to another post.

Or I could be studying for school... Who knows?

But with technology, I am tempted to sit here and idle my life away....

Torplexed · 01-10-06, 08:38 PM

Hmmmm. I've become too dependent on the computer technology to go back. Especially with the art and rendering programs available now days. Used to be such a messy and somewhat toxic chore putting layouts together and creating illustrations. With a computer it's a lot quicker and cleaner and you can edit the art to your heart's content.

I do miss getting high on the rubber cement fumes tho....JUST KIDDING!!!!!

pseudonym · 01-31-06, 03:46 PM

I have been reading up on this issue with StarForce with great interest ever since I first read about it. It is obvious to me that this kind of software is malware and has very little value to the consumer who has paid good money for the product. Consumers are forced not only to put up with the inconvenience but in fact, to PAY for the privilege! Now despite playing some of the games on the StarForce list of infected products I have NEVER encountered a problem with it. Why? Well that is simple, I don't put bought CD's into my computer, period. When I see a game I want to buy, I buy it, but before I head to the store I head over to my favorite BitTorrent site and I DOWNLOAD IT FIRST! That copy I buy never even leaves shrink wrap unless there is a CD key I need for online play. More than once I have wished that I could just buy the damn Key and let the company keep the media and the stupid box that just takes up space on my shelves, after all, with Valve software I don't even need my key! I just type in my email address and my password into Steam and my games download easily and cleanly. Now THAT is the way to do it!

The fact is that due to companies like StarForce, it is now more convenient and far less problematic to just pirate the game. How many times have you waited an hour in line at FilePlanet just to download some update needed for online play? How many times have you used the "in-game" update and gotten speeds of 1 or 2 kps or worse, dead links? Cracked patches download fast off of Bit torrent, there is no wait and speeds are fantastic! I have in a few minutes what would take me hours to receive by the "approved" channels and I don't have to worry about destroying my game media because A) it is a ISO image on my hard drive, and B) there is no cd required in the drive for play.

Basically what I am trying to say here is that StarForce has already lost the battle. Store bought games are already far more inconvenient to play than pirated games (Even went over to a LAN party with disk TWO of BF2 instead of disk one?) and technology like StarForces just make it that much more problematic. As long as pirating games is easier and safer in comparison to buying them, the game companies are bound to loose out.

pseudonym

P.S. I never thought I would consider WAREZ safer than buying software, but while with warez you may get the odd virus or spyware programs, virus checkers and spyware scanners remove these quite handedly, while leaving malware like StarForce's product alone.

Soulcommander · 01-31-06, 06:21 PM

Your post sounds more and more of the emails and pm's I get. It's sad as I myself like owning the manual, box and cd. I guess they call people like me collectors. But now my collecting days are going to be much more selective.

Do I blame you for doing this? No. But I for one still want to get my game the old fashioned way without copy protection that interferes with my computer.

kiwi_2005 · 02-01-06, 11:51 AM

pseudonym: Totally agree with you, although i dont do what you do, only cos i run dialup, but my friend is bittorent mad and all his games are this way - even DL SH3 of bittorent and it RUNS! although he can't play online matches. Still so much for SF.

01-10-06, 12:59 AM	#211
Marhkimov Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bay Area, California, USA Posts: 2,377 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	OLD THREAD... if necessary, I recommend burning it and making a new one... __________________ It takes two to tango

01-10-06, 01:16 AM	#212
Soulcommander Electrician's Mate Join Date: May 2005 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 137 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Dont burn it...There are stil people that come here and have no clue until they read these posts why their system is having problems. But sure I could post a new thread. __________________

01-10-06, 01:18 AM	#213
Marhkimov Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bay Area, California, USA Posts: 2,377 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Hmm, good point... I stand corrected. __________________ It takes two to tango

01-10-06, 08:17 PM	#217
Marhkimov Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bay Area, California, USA Posts: 2,377 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Well, for one... I could be out getting some excercise if I wasn't typing this message in response to another post. Or I could be studying for school... Who knows? But with technology, I am tempted to sit here and idle my life away.... __________________ It takes two to tango

01-31-06, 06:21 PM	#220
Soulcommander Electrician's Mate Join Date: May 2005 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 137 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Your post sounds more and more of the emails and pm's I get. It's sad as I myself like owning the manual, box and cd. I guess they call people like me collectors. But now my collecting days are going to be much more selective. Do I blame you for doing this? No. But I for one still want to get my game the old fashioned way without copy protection that interferes with my computer. __________________

01-10-06, 02:08 AM	#214
Iceman Ace of the Deep Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mesa AZ, Arizona, USA Posts: 1,253 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	I thank you for this thread being brung up...I had installed Sh III on my system for about a week ..I did not care for it and have since sold it and did not realize until this thread there was a Starforce Removal Tool I found by googling it....Havent had a chance to burn any cds..havent had the need but Ill be peed if it dont work cause of something like this...but not surprised. Again I thank you because I work in computer field and work on "Alot" of customers machines and see "All" kinds of crap and this is just one more to be aware of possible related problems.... sometimes I think we would have been better off with no technology....hum. :hmm: One thing I teach customers is...Don't be shocked when out of the blue they fail and ya lose all info on ur computer. I guarentee it will happen. If it is made by us humans it will fail.

01-10-06, 05:27 PM	#216
Wim Libaers Samurai Navy Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Flanders Posts: 569 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	Disagreed. Technology can help or hurt, it depends on intent and realizing what it is and isn't capable of.

01-10-06, 08:38 PM	#218
Torplexed Let's Sink Sumptin' ! Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 5,823 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	Hmmmm. I've become too dependent on the computer technology to go back. Especially with the art and rendering programs available now days. Used to be such a messy and somewhat toxic chore putting layouts together and creating illustrations. With a computer it's a lot quicker and cleaner and you can edit the art to your heart's content. I do miss getting high on the rubber cement fumes tho....JUST KIDDING!!!!!

01-31-06, 03:46 PM	#219
pseudonym Bilge Rat Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I have been reading up on this issue with StarForce with great interest ever since I first read about it. It is obvious to me that this kind of software is malware and has very little value to the consumer who has paid good money for the product. Consumers are forced not only to put up with the inconvenience but in fact, to PAY for the privilege! Now despite playing some of the games on the StarForce list of infected products I have NEVER encountered a problem with it. Why? Well that is simple, I don't put bought CD's into my computer, period. When I see a game I want to buy, I buy it, but before I head to the store I head over to my favorite BitTorrent site and I DOWNLOAD IT FIRST! That copy I buy never even leaves shrink wrap unless there is a CD key I need for online play. More than once I have wished that I could just buy the damn Key and let the company keep the media and the stupid box that just takes up space on my shelves, after all, with Valve software I don't even need my key! I just type in my email address and my password into Steam and my games download easily and cleanly. Now THAT is the way to do it! The fact is that due to companies like StarForce, it is now more convenient and far less problematic to just pirate the game. How many times have you waited an hour in line at FilePlanet just to download some update needed for online play? How many times have you used the "in-game" update and gotten speeds of 1 or 2 kps or worse, dead links? Cracked patches download fast off of Bit torrent, there is no wait and speeds are fantastic! I have in a few minutes what would take me hours to receive by the "approved" channels and I don't have to worry about destroying my game media because A) it is a ISO image on my hard drive, and B) there is no cd required in the drive for play. Basically what I am trying to say here is that StarForce has already lost the battle. Store bought games are already far more inconvenient to play than pirated games (Even went over to a LAN party with disk TWO of BF2 instead of disk one?) and technology like StarForces just make it that much more problematic. As long as pirating games is easier and safer in comparison to buying them, the game companies are bound to loose out. pseudonym P.S. I never thought I would consider WAREZ safer than buying software, but while with warez you may get the odd virus or spyware programs, virus checkers and spyware scanners remove these quite handedly, while leaving malware like StarForce's product alone.

02-01-06, 11:51 AM	#221
kiwi_2005 Eternal Patrol Join Date: May 2004 Location: Aeoteroa Posts: 7,382 Downloads: 223 Uploads: 1	pseudonym: Totally agree with you, although i dont do what you do, only cos i run dialup, but my friend is bittorent mad and all his games are this way - even DL SH3 of bittorent and it RUNS! although he can't play online matches. Still so much for SF. __________________ RIP kiwi_2005 Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.