What substantive benefits does Valve’s DRM have over Microsoft’s?
The biggest difference, as I see it, is that MS has separate functions for registration (DRM) and updating, while Valve couples these and requires updating for DRM to effectively work. Yes, it’s still your product if you’ve registered it, but if there’s an upgrade out there you haven’t installed yet, Valve’s software shuts down.
Microsoft’s Digital Rights Management for software =
* You call, email or fax your registration and you’re done.
* Updates, patches and upgrades are separate and not required to run the software.
Valve’s Digital Rights Management (aka "Steam")
* You must install the Steam Platform (via disc or online)
* You must register the game prior to installation
* You must be online fairly often to play the game
* You must download any updates, upgrades, etc., or the game will not work
* You must download cumulative updates upon installing the game discs, or the game will not work.
Yes, I’m mad.
I mean, why do they have to couple the updating function with the registration function? It works great if you have a high-speed connection. It only frustrates on my 56K. It’s not worth it for me to get a higher-speed just for this one game, but anyway …. I’m just wondering if there’s a major benefit I’m missing here.
Filed under: Tapit Software
Iv been running "valve" steam for years. I download it get all my games through it and then play them.
drm is just to stop pirates.
Well given that it works like its suppose to work it will keep people from stealing your copy. Like I can go to a friends house and download steam and my games enter my ID and password and it lets me play my games. user account…has all of your purchased games on your user ID file.
56k is ok but high speed is more modern
registration function is just user name and password
upgrade function just does that before you play rarely happens like a few seconds every 2 or 3 months. hot fixes, patches.