Boycott Starforce

[Smokey!]

No no this is not a "I´m outrageous!" thread, just a link to a page that explains how to detect if starforce is on your system without any 3rd party programs and also how to remove it. Seems you can check it through the device manager if you turn on "Show hidden devices"

http://www.glop.org/starforce/

It also explains some of the thinks StarForce do to your computer, so if you have any problems with cd/dvd drives not working or viruses give it a quick read.

[jtace]

agreed, I will never intentionally buy anything with starforce on it. :)

[Frank N. O.]

X2 and X3 as well as Runaway adventure have SF as well? Darn, those were some of the last games I had on my wish-list. Xpand rally too? I got a version of that with my graphicscard but no word of it being installed, but maybe because it was a Asus version that seems to be extremely limited, despite a big file-size. I'll run the tool again since I got enough potential problems with this machine (small errors here and there that could be evidence of problems).

Btw, just to underline what I'm sure we all agree: I am not against protecting software rights, I'm just protesting against all the problems that StarForce gives computer users and especially that the users aren't even warned it can happend.
This actually makes the rF system seem quite good, at least the basic idea.

Frank

[Baritone Black]

I'm already boycotting starforce. It rather pleased me to see the WR forum come to a halt when it was found in WR2.


I'm all for software protection, but I'm all against dangerous and secretive system modification.

[FeZ]

The WR forum coming to a halt had nothing to do with Starforce, more with the lets call it "incompetent" distribution/release of the game :(

[Baritone Black]

Really? I would have thought that they would get that one right this time. They seemed to listen to all of the other suggestions.

[Nappe1]

Ppl are blaiming all the troubles games give about copy protection nowadays. it does not work --> it has to be star force's fault. (in some cases if the game / computer don't even have one!) And whe you remember what kind of compability nightmare PC nowadays is, it is highly unlikely that games would have become a complete bug free and SF3 would be only source of problems.

Fact is that while Star Force has problems, but those have been reducing quite bit during last year. Ubisoft made a research about the difficulties they have been encoutering with Splinter Cell. Around 15% of customers reported having problems with game and around 5% of these were star force related. Around 75 % of those got fixed with in a month from release. However, this statistic might be wrong, because so many customers nowadays go nearest forum to yell about boycott, instead of asking about product they just bought. Also, the forums situation is imbalanced a bit because those who don't have problems, don't yell it aloud in every forum. They are playing the game.

Also, Spinter Cell did break sell records during it's first 3 months on sale. It is not prooven that boosted sales were exactly related the fact that no pirated / warez version was available, but most likely it had an effect.

few instances have been investigating about average time on copy protection efficiency. This means average time between release and version being downloadable from peer to peer networks. On SF3 is reaching towards one month, while next one on list, Safedisc's latest version, average time is measured in hours.

It's not hard to see why SF3 keeps getting more usual.



EDIT: I just took a longer look of Star Force boycott pages and... well, at least who ever found those pages want ppl to drop it. There's quite few things that aren't exactly correct anymore. (for example hole giving any ring 3 software ring 0 rights. that hole has been fixed over a year ago all games/released discs that might have had that version have been replaced / pulled back.) Installing without a notice is another thing... it's up to publisher decide how to note user about it and quite few have decided to put a mention about it on EULA. Yes, I know that No one really reads it (because usually here it crosses some copyright laws and has no power after that) but in hair splitting case, there is a note for user. Drivers being a hidden is a bit of interesting claim, after we saw Sony-BMG's rootkit, which was really hidden. ("Copy Protection Drivers installed, reboot needed. do you want to reboot now?" isn't really 'hidden' in the word's practical meaning to me. Of course this depends individually how you understand that sentence.)

I recommend you to make protest against publishers instead of Star Force. It's up to publisher to choose the copy protection scheme as well as implementing it on installation pacakge so that It won't interfere with other applications. (and uninstalls nicely etc.) Also, reporting all problems game has to the publisher will help, when they get a real scale of problems. Now the publishers see only same amount of problems as with the other releases, but boosted sales due better copy protection. So, as thinking you being publisher, can you really find reason to drop SF3?

[jtace]

I don't have a problem with copy protection. I understand why companies have it. But also remember I still have a right to back up my own cd's, which is getting near impossible for the average user now, by design of course.

My problem with starforce is they go too far, I don't see any need to start messing with users operating systems and doing all sorts of stuff in the name of making a few more $$. And I'll bet they don't make any money and in fact lose some because of the number of people who won't use SF software.

If you want secure protection for your software, it's quite simple actually. Online activation required. Then you can remove all copy protection off the cd's and let them back it up till thier hearts are content. If they don't activate it online with a valid cd key then they don't play the game, simple and effective, heck windows pulls that stunt anymore. And it's quite simple to have an automated phone system for the few without net access.

Though honestly I've never seen a SF game that I really cared to buy anyways so far, so I've lucked out on that end.