What is Digg?533 Comments
- Joos2000, on 05/08/2008, -12/+227I understand that they want to protect their software, and ever since Diablo 1 on battle.net, they have done all they can to reduce cheating. Whatever you think of WoW, Blizzard has a right to protect their software and how players interact with their servers and I definetly think they have a right to go after 3rd party software who makes a profit on what basically is a cheating bot. However, the method they go about it, is appalling. Using copyright rules in such a manner is just preposterous. It doesn't matter where in your computer the data resides, on your hard drive, a disc in the CD-ROM or in the RAM; it is still licensed to run on one computer!
Blizzard, don't let your success go to your heads, what you are doing is wrong. Find a better way to go about your legal actions, this is just ludicrous. - Division, on 05/08/2008, -62/+221wow, never thought I'd say this, but...
***** Blizzard. - shanesemler, on 05/08/2008, -36/+152Maybe Blizzard should make the game less boring instead of spending money on litigation trying to get people to stop figuring out ways to get around being bored? Just a thought.
- Satanael, on 05/08/2008, -53/+136FTA:
In a filing, Blizzard quotes a section from its EULA that says that "All connections to the Game and/or the Service, whether created by the Game Client or by other tools and utilities, may only be made through methods and means expressly approved by Blizzard." In other words, you're only allowed to play WoW using Blizzard-approved software.
How the ***** can you disagree with that? This is digg's sensationalism at its finest. Blizzard has a right to control how its content is accessed and controlled, especially if it means keeping the game fair for everyone. - sirchrissypoo, on 05/08/2008, -9/+66That's not what I have a problem with. What I have a problem with is Blizzard saying that, since the game has to write part of the program to your RAM, that is making a copy of the game, which is copyright infringement. That is just grade-A BS. Every program you have on your computer writes to your RAM. If Blizzard wins based on this argument, it would set a deadly precedent. Since you like quoting the article, heres one. FTA:
So you see, any program which creates a "copy" of itself in your system's RAM—and that's every program on your computer—makes you guilty of copyright infringement unless you have a license allowing you to do so.
That is just so much BS. F' you Blizzard. F' you. - eSentrik, on 05/08/2008, -12/+69How do you kill that which has no life?
- madeingermany, on 05/08/2008, -16/+70yeah, but ***** bots more
- Stroggoth, on 05/08/2008, -8/+46Ah, except they are using a copyright damages theory for violation of a contract. Contracts are limited in damages to the value of the goods or reasonable damages specified in the terms. Copyright is an entirely different remedy, but they claim their contract failure pushes you into copyright infringement damages. This kind of extension of rights is usually denied by the Circuit Courts.
Don't get me wrong, their claim is very creative and it holds some logical sway, but the flip side is that it is an abuse of contract power. Breach of contract is not intended to be an end-of-the-world scenario. - lucidguru, on 05/08/2008, -21/+59How the ***** can anyone play the game if they don't load some of it into RAM? This is legal pandering of the worst kind... the consumer stands to lose a lot.
- GorfTron, on 05/08/2008, -6/+37So now, reading a book I didn't buy is making an unlicensed copy because I made a copy in my brain?
- metaliq, on 05/08/2008, -0/+30Quit.
I did that. It worked incredibly well. - RAEP, on 05/08/2008, -8/+36Or maybe people can just ***** play the game? since you know..it's a game..it's meant to be played. and if you have a problem with it you can just quit like I did.
- RealmDown, on 05/08/2008, -2/+22Get her to stop running and let Obama carry the party.
- Matt2k, on 05/08/2008, -6/+25You don't remember bnetd then? The Battle.net emulator? They used DMCA to take down a cleanly reverse engineered product.
I have never bought a Blizzard game since.
This was before online sites could mass protest in the way we do today. Now we have groups like Anonymous and legions of Diggers who will email bomb a school's administration on the slightest provocation. This time around I expect more from you all, Internet - ericmerrill, on 05/08/2008, -1/+20Even worse, the brain modifies and personalizes memories.
Imagine this sort of logic in the food industry... - AzureRise, on 05/08/2008, -12/+30Lets get this over with. Also ***** the RIAA, MPAA, CRIA, and if I missed you you can assume you're ***** too.
- Aensland, on 05/08/2008, -2/+20Yeah I remember bnetd. Still, I have conflicting feelings on this one. Online cheaters and bots are ***** pond scum who can't play a game legit to save their lives. Cheat in singleplayer or with friends on a LAN game if you must, only a loser needs cheats to play online.
- Drahkir, on 05/08/2008, -5/+22Seriously people, comment AFTER reading the article. Perhaps we should all jump off the bandwagon for a second and see what's actually going on.
- RetlawST, on 05/08/2008, -6/+23The problem is this: since you are violating Blizzards EULA, Blizzard is claiming that you are essentially infringing on their copyright. If this was upheld, Blizz(or any company) could technically sue a user for thousands of dollars if a user broke the EULA. Considering the clause in most EULAs that states a EULA can be updated at anytime without prior warning to a user, this could be used to abuse the justice system in extorting money from users.
In the end, courts would never uphold such a ridiculous concept. This is why it's a stupid argument for Blizzard to make. - fuse13, on 05/08/2008, -0/+16did anyone read the damn article?
the EULA gives you permission to do so. If you break the EULA you dont have that permission.
Normal players are not affected. - LemmingJesus, on 05/08/2008, -8/+24World of Warcraft has been turned into work, not play.
- RealmDown, on 05/08/2008, -2/+18Wear boxers, they won't ride up as much.
- PurpleSfinx, on 05/08/2008, -1/+15You're on DIGG, insulting people. Is that a better way to waste your life?
- RetlawST, on 05/08/2008, -2/+15Okay, I understand your problems with botters. At the same time, this argument goes so much further beyond botting that it makes my head spin that you're accepting this as an acceptable practice. Blizz is saying that if you violate their EULA, you're in violation of copyright law and are subject to litigation.
EULAs have been proven in court as non-binding contracts, whose restrictions on the user are tenuous at best. This would make EULAs one of the most retardedly powerful contracts in the court of law, and it would ***** you over because the company is the one making all of the terms of agreement. EULAs generally contain stipulations within themselves that the EULA can be changed at any time without notifying the user, effectively screwing you over if you suddenly find yourself doing something 'unapproved' with the software.
Want to use our software? Follow these rules or you're infringing on our copyright and we can sue you for damages. - inactive, on 05/08/2008, -7/+20Not really. This sets a bad precedent. If you allow this, why not allow US GOV. XYZ (or any derivative, such as state university) software to scan your hard drive, ram, whatever for anything offensive? Not only that, but do you know what will be offensive in the future in order to prepare yourself? Imagine if your last name is somehow related to Bin'ladin, I bet the government is keeping an eye on you, even if you're the most harmless person in the world.
- Kytro, on 05/08/2008, -1/+13The makers of glider never agreed to the EULA, and they don't violate the terms and conditions - users do.
- MikeSD34, on 05/08/2008, -1/+13It's their life, they can squander it how they wish. Just like you do sitting here on digg making fun of people you disagree with.
I'm sure most of us have some ridiculously non-productive (hell, counter-productive even) things in our spare time. - domino42, on 05/08/2008, -0/+11You Don't
Agreeing to the EULA is your CHOICE, not your RIGHT. They are two very different things. If you don't like it don't play. - sirbeta, on 05/08/2008, -2/+13Has it? It has progressively become boring because it's too easy now. Need gold? No problem, they made a bunch of quests you can do each day for crazy amounts of gold. Need items? Welfare epics, now all your alts can be completely decked in purplez!
- Asianwaste, on 05/08/2008, -1/+12I'm sure if you have one, you'd be playing tomorrow despite what you have just said.
- namredips, on 05/08/2008, -2/+12First, it is most certainly a necessary step for the program to load parts of the program into memory and as such is already protected under the law cited in the article. Probably just a hail mary from Blizzards legal team, wouldn't really blame Blizzard. Their lawyers are just doing their jobs.
Now on the other hand, it could be a mechanism to distract from the more serious situation in this case. While we are all appalled by the offensive use of copyright law, we miss the part where Blizzard can attack another company for writing a piece of software. The EULA stipulates that the owner of WOW can't do all sorts of things... But exactly how does that make MDY liable for you breaking the EULA. Sure their software alows you do do things blizzard would rather you not, but damn what is next... Microsoft sues firefox because of the internet explorer EULA?? - RealmDown, on 05/08/2008, -0/+10You are correct, but his is still a valid assessment.
- jameshickmott, on 05/08/2008, -2/+12don't let the music or film industry hear this.
- Drahkir, on 05/08/2008, -2/+12Are you serious? Was that a joke? Are you aware of your own grammar deficiencies? I just need to know. Thanks.
- avatarroku1, on 05/08/2008, -0/+9How can you bash nerds on a nerdy website???
- GoKings, on 05/08/2008, -5/+14Wtf are people complaining about? Unlike many games, Blizzard actively tries to keep cheating from running rampant through their games. Does ANYONE remember what happened when Blizzard gave up trying to stop cheaters in Diablo 2? The game ran rampant with cheaters, magic finding bots, etc.
- Amric, on 05/08/2008, -0/+9First off I would like to say that I HATE cheaters when it comes to online playing... but...
They are not using Blizzards code in the way that they alter it in any way or make calls directly to it. At least I seriously doubt it.
What they do is what is known as a systemwide global hook. They send messages to the WoW window that the WoW client interpret as common user input. Like you pressing your mouse in a specific location only it is the program that does the pressing in your place. It does not call any Blizzard method called. PressMouze(x, y).
Personally I find Blizzards reaction far more scary than the use of that program. Today copyright and EULA is wielded like a bloody sledge hammer against any and all that "infringes". Copyright of today is just WAY to much and have WAY to much influence. - innocentsinner, on 05/08/2008, -1/+10Exactly. It reminds me of "What's the problem with wiretapping? If you're not doing anything illegal, what's the problem?". Granted, a whole different magnitude of scale, but still..
- cygnus2112, on 05/08/2008, -0/+9You, sir, need a new hobby!
- sancho, on 05/08/2008, -2/+11Ultimately, Blizzard's claims here are absurd. I don't like cheaters either, and I'd love to see Blizzard get rid of them, but this sets a dangerous precedent.
- lolinyerface, on 05/08/2008, -2/+10More importantly, how can you accept or deny the EULA if you don't LOAD THE GAME?!
- innocentsinner, on 05/08/2008, -1/+9He did use preposterous
- NiteMayr, on 05/08/2008, -2/+10Lucidguru may be trying to point out that by extension of this ruling, a firm may dictate how one uses a piece of software and therefore stifle creative uses of it, like machinima or external frame capture applications.
Blizzard may choose only to use this to pursue bot'ers but other firms may use it to pursue trainer makers or 3rd party mod makers. This would be akin to saying that one can only listen to music on approved headphones from apple.
Something tells me that there is well-established case history regarding 3rd party game enhancements and if the Bot makers can show that their application does not alter or duplicate the code of WoW in any way, then they remain in the well-established case history.
Imagine if we could only use items as intended by their designers? What a bland world it would be. - jacenat, on 05/08/2008, -1/+8the point is, that glider (at least how i understand how it works) does NOT violate that paragraph. it just scripts ordinary hardware input to repeat it with complex pattern recognition.
thats the problem with glider, it's not touching wow in ANY other way "legal" players do. that's why they can't detect it with in-game anti-cheat measures. - DoubtingThomas, on 05/08/2008, -0/+7No, using it IS NOT copyright infringement, it is a violation of the EULA. There is a huge difference. The EULA can get you banned from the the game, and that's about it. Violating copyrights can get you sued for thousands of dollars. Blizzard wants to tie violation of the EULA with violation of copyright which is extremely dangerous for end-users.
- cygnus2112, on 05/08/2008, -1/+8How do you get that through "All connections to the Game and/or the Service, whether created by the Game Client or by other tools and utilities, may only be made through methods and means expressly approved by Blizzard." ?
- inactive, on 05/08/2008, -0/+7a second life?
- RetlawST, on 05/08/2008, -2/+9If you're not breaking the law you have nothing to hide. It's really the same concept. Blizz really shouldn't be doing this, even though botting is annoying.
- ANT1138, on 05/08/2008, -1/+8It's not just about getting rid of boredom, it's about easily leveling characters and making gold for sale in RL. Sounds weird, but there's money to be made(off of total ***** losers).
- guany, on 05/08/2008, -1/+8It's the implications:
If I break the EULA, I'm copyright infringing because I'm copying the program to my ram without authorization. So, every time you violate an EULA and still use a program, you could be sued for copyright infringement. I'm going to be honest: I don't think I've ever read an entire EULA. I don't plan on starting any time soon either. I may be guilty of copyright infringement on many many counts if this precedent is set. -
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