D&D Insider: Losing your toys

[Asmor]

Of course, you would only use a legal copy of Windows XP that's leftover from the 10-year-old computer sitting in your closet

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't OEM software specifically licensed to be run only on the system it's sold with? Thus, you could only use that legal copy of Windows XP legally on the leftover 10-year-old PC sitting in your closet.

 

[malraux]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't OEM software specifically licensed to be run only on the system it's sold with? Thus, you could only use that legal copy of Windows XP legally on the leftover 10-year-old PC sitting in your closet.

[ruleslawyer] That's why you take one of the hard drive bracket screws and use it in the new system. [/ruleslawyer]

 

[deleteme123456]

Well, of course, you're a tech-nerd. You don't buy from Dell (or back then, I suppose it was Gateway more often than Dell). You built your own PC, and who knows where you got the copy of Windows XP from. Maybe you bought an upgrade to replace your then-aging Windows 95 copy. Maybe you went to the local computer shop and they had a conspiciously-priced-too-low-to-be-true copy of Windows XP sitting around, and hey, it even has a product key that works, that's what really matters, right?

I'm not sure exactly what the license is on OEM software, but you might be right.

We should probably stop threadjacking, although I'm having entirely too much fun discussing this.

 

[Asmor]

[ruleslawyer] That's why you take one of the hard drive bracket screws and use it in the new system. [/ruleslawyer]

I don't know how the legal definition of a computer varies from place to place, but I do recall a long time ago some website which would sell you cheap OEM software, but required you to buy a motherboard and a hard drive. I suspect that the motherboard is part of the definition of a computer...

Well, of course, you're a tech-nerd. You don't buy from Dell (or back then, I suppose it was Gateway more often than Dell). You built your own PC, and who knows where you got the copy of Windows XP from. Maybe you bought an upgrade to replace your then-aging Windows 95 copy. Maybe you went to the local computer shop and they had a conspiciously-priced-too-low-to-be-true copy of Windows XP sitting around, and hey, it even has a product key that works, that's what really matters, right?

I'm not sure exactly what the license is on OEM software, but you might be right.

We should probably stop threadjacking, although I'm having entirely too much fun discussing this.

I just get my software free from the MSDN Academic Alliance. Being in college has its benefits.

 

[Felon]

I've seen lots of "Pro" DDI comments, particularly about the character builder. I get that. I've tried the demo and it's pretty sweet. And the "anti's" seem to be focusing on the missing features and occasional bug. But those are unavoidable in any software I think.

Heh. You think bugs and missing features unavoidable in any software? Well, there's a matter of degrees we're talking here. DDI has more missing features than actual features. So much so that it means charging the fanbase just to view an R&D article about how gnomes were handled in 4e. They're not even providing access to stuff just to maintain and generate interest for non-subscribers, and that's shabby. The major feature of a subscription-based service shouldn't be previews of material that the customer will ultimately wind up paying for at some point in the future. That's paying to beta test, and the fact that DDI does just that is telling.

 

[Agamon]

So, Irda, you don't like that it's subscription-based? If you subscribe to a magazine and lose your magazine collection, do you expect the magazine company to reimburse you?

If you were paying an up-front cost to buy the license, as one often does with software, I can see them offering the ability to re-download if something goes wrong. But this is a subscription, that's not how that works. The fact that one can still use the CB after stopping your subscription is a bonus, not a right. You're being upset that that bonus doesn't last forever.

 

[malraux]

Heh. You think bugs and missing features unavoidable in any software? Well, there's a matter of degrees we're talking here. DDI has more missing features than actual features.

I'd disagree with that counting pretty strongly. From what was promised initially, we are really only missing the VTT and the CV. All the other stuff has been delivered at this point, works pretty well, has a few bugs but is on a pretty straight forward track to keep it updated.

 

[mudbunny]

So much so that it means charging the fanbase just to view an R&D article about how gnomes were handled in 4e.

And?? A lot of people, myself included, really enjoyed the article.

They're not evening providing trying to free access stuff just to maintain and generate interest for non-subscribers, and that's shabby.

Yes, no free stuff...

Except for Black Crusade (novel), the PvP/PA/Wil Wheaton Podcast, all of the Players Handbook 2 previews, the Serpentsong fiction, not to mention the maps and art that are also free.

Yup, nothing free at all.

 

[Felon]

And?? A lot of people, myself included, really enjoyed the article.

There's no need for an "and", as the point I was making was self-explanatory. However, for the benefit of the self-evidenciary-impaired: a fluff article ruminating about a design process might or might not be enjoyable, but it is a pretty meagering offeriing to charge people for. It's like charging someone to read your blog. Weak.

Yes, no free stuff...

Except for Black Crusade (novel), the PvP/PA/Wil Wheaton Podcast, all of the Players Handbook 2 previews, the Serpentsong fiction, not to mention the maps and art that are also free.

Yup, nothing free at all.

Apparently, being a DDI subscriber means being unclear as to what is actually being included with that subscription. I say this because the sarcastic response above is undermined by the fact that the PHB previews (the sorcerer, invoker, etc) were in fact not free. This is not the first time I've had to poin this out, so I'm curious as to where the confusion stems from; the barbarian was free, but that came out right before DDI became a subscriber-only offering. Aside fromt the PHB2 previews, the rest of your inventory is padded with free fiction. Where's the free content for the actual game? That's what I go to the WotC website for, and by no coincedence that's the stuff they're charging for (along with lots of fluff pieces).

 

[Irda Ranger]

So, Irda, you don't like that it's subscription-based? If you subscribe to a magazine and lose your magazine collection, do you expect the magazine company to reimburse you?

Are you deliberately being obtuse, or just arguing for argument's sake? There's a third explanation for your actions as well, but it's even less polite.

For the dozenth time, all I (and several others who have posted) would like is the option to backup/reinstall the software we have to date. That's it. Just like any other program we own (MS Office, Adobe CS3, my dozen or so computer games, etc.).

The fact that one can still use the CB after stopping your subscription is a bonus, not a right.

They're neither. They're just terms of contract. I'd like different terms. I'm allowed to do that.