What is Digg?45 Comments
- knodi, on 10/12/2007, -3/+26EA suck, I have stopped buying there game for along time now.
- JavertHolmes, on 10/12/2007, -1/+22One severe downside of the internet has been that it seems like everyone and every company feels like it's their god-given right to ***** around with my computer except me.
Always-resident software that phones home, online gaming/application authentication services, CD checks, kernel-level driver installations, spyware, malware, adware, etc, etc, etc. There should be jail time for this ***** being installed on my computer. I didn't ask for it. I won't buy software that tries to hijack my computer that I know of. Even learning which software is doing Bad Things (TM) is hard to come by unless it's a high profile company like EA. How can major commercial entities install this stuff on your computer with a straight face? If this were done in a time (say 20 years ago) when computers were limited to mostly hobbyists, it would be the most outrageous thing of all time.
There should be standardized labelling on all software packaging (think cigarette warning labels) that has warnings in the following categories:
WARNING: THIS SOFTWARE WILL CONTACT [COMPANY NAME] INTERMITTENTLY AND REPORT BACK ON YOUR IN-GAME USAGE.
WARNING: THIS SOFTWARE WILL ALTER YOUR [OPERATING SYSTEM NAME] IN A WAY THAT CAN NOT BE EASILY REVERSED WITHOUT REINSTALLING. THIS IS DONE TO PREVENT YOU FROM MAKING A BACKUP OF THE SOFTWARE.
etc.
There is no excuse for the vast majority of modern games/applications to not be installable in non superuser mode. Why does every piece of software insist on having admin access? How the hell am I supposed to use online services like Amazon or bank online when I can't guarantee that the last application I installed in root mode didn't install some form of spyware? - heavensblade23, on 10/12/2007, -4/+22We'll see how long you guys hold to that position once Spore is out. ;)
- mancat, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16Your game has to install a kernel-mode driver to make sure it's not a copy?
Please get out of this business. - rabidwonton, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16Way to link to a forum that's down for the next 4 hours.
- Arawn, on 10/12/2007, -5/+18Duh! Starforce!!!
- HelplessSEAL, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9errr, does it really have to mess with my kernel????......
- gamerzworld, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12It's not Starforce. If it was Starforce, my computer would be crashing 24/7. I have 2142 from EA Downloader and I don't have any problems but it is kinda scary that it installs a kernel driver.
- Cymrubeats, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10PACE (and iLOK) are the scourge of a lot of music software. And they wonder why people warez it so much (even those that buy it)...when you're using audio apps, the last thing you need is a ***** piece of software polling a piece of hardware every five milliseconds just to prove you're a legitimate user. Guess what? The warez versions remove that aspect, freeing up resources for the job that needs to be done. Idiots.
- ThisIsSteve, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8"And yet he agreed to it when he installed the software. Why would you agree to something that you haven't read?"
Who honestly reads every EULA for every game they play? I don't. - steven401, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9My *cough* backup copy of BF2142 is just BF2142.exe
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/6897/lolbf2142gt3.jpg
I'm running version 1.0.9.0 - leobaby, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12I have a separate windows partition just to make battlefield run faster; now I'm glad I did for security reasons.
- spriggig, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7He said he stopped *buying* their games.
- tritium, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7It installed in your kernel. Unless you're running a separate Windows shell, then you've still been hosed by EA.
- GamaFu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4@IcyStorm
Starforce IS really bad,
you will realize this truth when you pay for game (legitimate copy, of course)
and cannot play it because of this piece of *****.
It will keep telling you to put in the true copy til you're so angry and wanna beat it to death. - mikeazorin, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Adding copy protection to games is just like having Microsoft pay Universal for every Zune sold. It only makes people believe that they have a right to commit piracy.
- xcheats, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You mean BF2142PACE.exe?
- zoziw, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I certainly hope Vista puts an end to this kind of thing.
- 40hands, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6Down with EA!
- bbear, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Any idea what the name of the driver is? I didn't see TPKD or PACE in the list of drivers (including hidden) and I have the BF2142 download version.
- rdoger6424, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@looksliketrent
too bad that EULAs have dubious legal standing in court. - Ryan001, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5WTF. Does anyone even read the actual artice before spewing a comment anymore? This only applies to the downloaded version for obvious reasons.
- authors, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I never installed the EA downloader for BF2142. I install all updates manually. Interesting though.
- Megatog615, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Stupid anti-copy software and a stupid operating system. Why would the system allow any program without the user's permission to install a KERNEL LEVEL DRIVER?
Windows is stupid, and EA is stupid. Instead of preventing piracy, they're provoking it. Like I've always said, I wish game companies would use a minimal copy protection, like the one in Starcraft. Enough protection to stop the average idiot from copying it, but not too much to provoke people into cracking it. There's the regular kind of copy protection(which is OK by me), then there's intrusion. I am surprised someone hasn't been sued because their copy protection software broke someone's operating system. - Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I'm glad I didn't buy BF2142...the series just got suckier and suckier and now this.
- dezmo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2GO SPORE! Also, I hereby declair that EA tech support people are the worst in the universe and worthy of the death penalty.
- Colindean, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@leobaby
Can you post a link with more information on why this works? I'd like to read up on it. - Megatog615, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1And even if it did, it would likely cancel the installation if you did not allow the driver to install. From the looks of it, it does not give you this message at all.
- Miniman, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5EA licks my balls.
- computerdude33, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The only good EA studios are Criterion Games and Maxis.
- netdroid9, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1...Why the ***** should anything, ANYTHING need access to Ring0 unless it was trying to access IRQs? Simple answer: Because the people who made the security system are dumb ***** and don't know how to make clean code.
- benjaminrayburn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@leobaby
I too moved Battlefield 2 into its own boot partition. After first reading the EA downloader EULA (which I refused to agree to) and then getting the "we're watching your every move" In Game Advertising notice with 2142 (which I returned), I realized that I had to severely restrict EA's access to my computer.
The result is I rarely play BF2 anymore because it's a pain to get to, and I have little desire to mess with future EA titles.
I’m not the least bit surprised by this latest EA assault on its customers. It seems there’s always a bitter pill when you deal with EA. - netdroid9, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1From what I understand, normally it comes up and asks for permission to install anything that isn't signed and confirmed to follow the driver standards set by Microsoft. If it doesn't come up with that message, then it's likely being suppressed by the installer, which is just plain nasty.
- SillyDigger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1and Rockstar Games
- AtroPunk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Because of people *cough* like you we have to put up with all this garbage.
You are so *cough* cool. I bet your a liberal...... - brwyatt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Wow... It is good to see all the support...
Special thanks to Colindean for digging my thread...
Also note that I have managed to find the EULA in the EA Downloader/EA Link program and have reviewed it and found that it only lightly mentioned some licensing stuff that goes on, but nothing more than that. I will be posting updated and new information to the Dugg thread soon, but just wanted to issue a personal thank you (I have never been Dugg before).
Thank you all for your support and comments! - hobk1ard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The answer is that EA quit caring about making good games a while ago. $ is king to that company and they have put great companies like the mod company that made desert combat out of business. I gave up on EA after BF2 and i know im not the only one. Booster packs, in game advertisements, to short beta testing are all ways to make or save money other companies dont need these to put out a great product and make money why does EA.
I never thought i would sing the praises of Steam but it is the most effective form of anti piracy there is for multilayer games and it is far less obtrusive.
Dont count on Vista fixing anything there really is little besides a graphics difference between it and XP plus everything requires more click to accomplish for "user friendly" purposes same way XP did from 2000. - Tourney3p0, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2"I have a separate windows partition just to make battlefield run faster; now I'm glad I did for security reasons."
I dugg you up. But then again, I'm really dumb and don't realize that Application Data isn't in the Battlefield Earth subdirectory. Also, I have no idea what a kernel driver is. Thus, installing it on a windows partition must certainly be an effective means of security. Dugg up so everyone else can try this wonderful, functional tip. - poprocksandsoda, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0I'm all for them protecting their IP, however I don't want anything dabbling with my Kernel. Luckily I'm running Vista Premium so it's less of a concern. I used to play Battlefield, but you can be sure as long as they resort to these unreasonable approaches I will stay away.
- Mtap, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Scarry...
- looksliketrent, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1Too bad you allow it by agreeing to the EULA... they usually have specific clauses for this stuff.
- aaronm67, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3@knodi
I hope your grammar is sarcastic or trying to be funny in some way. - blapierre, on 10/12/2007, -11/+3FTA:
"I have not reviewed the EULA or any such documents for 2142"
And yet he agreed to it when he installed the software. Why would you agree to something that you haven't read? - IcyStorm, on 10/12/2007, -11/+1Starforce isn't something bad.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -17/+2so you're down with companies that are trying to protect their investments?
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