Anti-piracy question

[MrAnon]

That's different, and you know it's different.

People are downloading Civ4 from Direct2Drive with the intention of buying it. The distro has been designed by Firaxis (or possibly D2D) to not need the CD. Any kind of 'NoCD' patch that's distributed by D2D is with the consent and foreknowledge of Firaxis. This isn't some person modifing the executable to get around paying for it. This is a retailer who is serving a different market.

This argument, however, makes the unfounded proposition that "everyone who uses a NoCD is a pirate". This is patently untrue (and to many people insulting) and is a core problem with the entire issue. You cannot assume that everyone who used any kind of workaround has evil intent.

For every NoCD on my system, you'll find a box on my shelf with the CD and the docs in it. Now - tell me how that's piracy. Tell me how I've done ANY HARM AT ALL to the developer. Demonstrate how I've diluted the value of his intellectual property.

Several of the questions I posed, however remain unaddressed. Is using a virtual drive the same legally as a NoCD? How about morally?

 

[Turner]

You cannot assume that everyone who used any kind of workaround has evil intent.

Doesn't matter. The administrator of this site, i.e., the owner, the guy who pays the bills, has deemed NoCD cracks to be piracy as far as we're concerned. So on this site, at least, NoCD cracks, used for whatever reason, are piracy.

For every NoCD on my system, you'll find a box on my shelf with the CD and the docs in it. Now - tell me how that's piracy. Tell me how I've done ANY HARM AT ALL to the developer. Demonstrate how I've diluted the value of his intellectual property.

Doesn't matter. The administrator of this site has deemed NoCD cracks to be piracy. So on this site, at least, NoCD cracks, used for whatever reason, are piracy.

Several of the questions I posed, however remain unaddressed. Is using a virtual drive the same legally as a NoCD? How about morally?

Doesn't matter....oh, you know what I'm going to say.

 

[MrAnon]

NoCD patches promote piracy simply because it's easy for someone to hand a game disk off to someone else, they install it, give the disc back, and download the NoCD patch for it.[/QOUTE]

Under that logic, CD burners promote piracy; cars promote robberies (easier to get away); guns promote murder; Wi-Fi promotes cracking...and on and on.

While there are arguements for NoCD cracks (I did buy Civ3 twice, because of a (physically) cracked disc), there are arguements against it.

Absolutely! The legal theory is "Dual Use Technology" and was settled by the VHS/Betamax vs MPAA case (in the US). The summation is that the Supreme Court ruled that a product is not "bad" simply because it can be USED for "bad" things and therefore cannot be made illegal or banned on those grounds.

Ultimately, NoCD cracks have been deemed piracy by the administration. As this is Thunderfall's site, and he pays for it out of his pocket, he gets to say what is and is not acceptable on this forum.

Amen to that! His site, his rules. Ummm...vigorous debate is kosher, yes?

 

[gunkulator]

Absolutely! The legal theory is "Dual Use Technology" and was settled by the VHS/Betamax vs MPAA case (in the US). The summation is that the Supreme Court ruled that a product is not "bad" simply because it can be USED for "bad" things and therefore cannot be made illegal or banned on those grounds.

There is still a difference. VCRs have legitimate legal uses. NoCD cracks are in violation of the s/w license so their very existence is illegitimate. The courts have ruled that some items by their very existence (e.g. drug paraphernalia) point to an illegal activity and therefore are enough to constitute guilt.

 

[Flak]

Doesn't matter. The administrator of this site has deemed NoCD cracks to be piracy. So on this site, at least, NoCD cracks, used for whatever reason, are piracy.

So let's say Firaxis releases Civ 5 and has a patch for legal purchasers of the game to download, through an online verification system, that will allow them to run their legal copy of the game without a CD. What's the administrator going to do? Ban Civ 5?

The fact is that the days of PC games able to be run legally without CD's is already here. Even Firaxis is on board with the idea and have obviously figured out atleast some of the technical security hurdles.

Doesn't matter. The administrator of this site has deemed NoCD cracks to be piracy. So on this site, at least, NoCD cracks, used for whatever reason, are piracy.

This might explain why so many threads asking about how to download Civ 4 and promptly getting a thankful reply about Direct2Drive get closed nearly immediately. A legal version of Civ 4 that doesn't require CD's and *gasp* can even be downloaded from the internet flys in the face of just about every argument against the personal use of a No-CD crack. I bet the fact that Firaxis went and released such a version of the game stings really, really bad.

 

[Turner]

So let's say Firaxis releases Civ 5 and has a patch for legal purchasers of the game to download, through an online verification system, that will allow them to run their legal copy of the game without a CD. What's the administrator going to do? Ban Civ 5?

If that's what Thunderfall decides to do. It's his forum.

The fact is that the days of PC games able to be run legally without CD's is already here. Even Firaxis is on board with the idea and have obviously figured out atleast some of the technical security hurdles.

That's nice. However, as far as this site is concerned, NoCD cracks are piracy, and requesting them or providing information on how to get this is not allowed.

This might explain why so many threads asking about how to download Civ 4 and promptly getting a thankful reply about Direct2Drive get closed nearly immediately. A legal version of Civ 4 that doesn't require CD's and *gasp* can even be downloaded from the internet flys in the face of just about every argument against the personal use of a No-CD crack. I bet the fact that Firaxis went and released such a version of the game stings really, really bad.

Stings who? Not me.

The thing you need to understand is that Thunderfall has decreed NoCD cracks to be illegal, and not allowed on this site. If you have a problem with that, PM him and state your case. Until he removes the restriction on NoCD patches, they're piracy as far as CFC is concerned.

If you have such a problem with Thunderfall's rules regarding this, I suggest you go here, create your own forum, and discuss it to your heart's content. But until Thunderfall decides otherwise, NoCD patches will be considered piracy here.

This has gone on long enough. Thread closed.

 

[Thunderfall]

So let's say Firaxis releases Civ 5 and has a patch for legal purchasers of the game to download, through an online verification system, that will allow them to run their legal copy of the game without a CD. What's the administrator going to do? Ban Civ 5?

Ban Civ5? That would be insane. It would be great if 2K Games and other publishers could somehow come up with such an online verification system for their games in the future.

The only reason we don't allow No-CD crack request here is because there is no way we could verify if the person has purchased the game, not because we are against using No-CD. I use them myself for most games I owned (No-CD is especially needed for Heroes of Might and Magic V since it takes more than 1 minute for it to check the CD each time on my desktop. ).