Responses to Questions about the DI

[Festivus]

I certainly hope the form of DRM they elect to go with is watermarking. It cheeses me off to no end when I buy a computer game and it requires me to keep the disc in my player in order to play it, so much so that I don't buy those products any longer. Similarly, I don't want to have to connect to the internet just to read a document on my laptop.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

For those who game with non-computer users: are these people subscribers or purchasers of Dragon and Dungeon?

I wouldn't be surprised if "lack of interest in reading about games online" correlates with "lack of interest in buying gaming magazines." If so, the switch to digital won't effect them much.

Of the 4 people in our group who read Dragon 1 is a non-computer user, and 3 are computer users. Of the computer users 1 does not read online content about gaming, only IT related items.

 

[sjmiller]

For those who game with non-computer users: are these people subscribers or purchasers of Dragon and Dungeon?

I know a couple of them read Dragon fairly regularly, either subscribing or buying individual issues. Heck, one of them is even advertising in both magazines!

 

[Delta]

Lots of digital products you own have DRM. Some DRM solutions are rather onerous (like Windows XP) and others are relatively light like watermarking a "pdf" (for lack of a better term) type file with your name. They are both forms of DRM.

(1) Personally, I don't allow any products with DRM on my system. No Windows XP. No locked-sown PDFs, etc.
(2) Watermarking is not included in the definition of DRM (for example, no metion here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management ).


Others may be interested in the article written the other day by Jeremy Allison of Google, Inc. (lead engineer on the critical Samba project), titled "Why DRM won't ever work" ( http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6189011.html?tag=nl.e550 )

Engineers know that DRM doesn't work, that it can't possibly work. Yet just like Scotty when Captain Kirk calls from the bridge asking for the impossible, they can't seem to help producing ever more complicated versions of the same broken system. Companies keep trying to create and sell DRM systems to the content industry. Having lots of money thrown at them to do this probably helps, just like Scotty liked to be thought of as a miracle worker.

In a recent talk at Google, Cory Doctorow, the Electronic Freedom activist, science fiction author, and creator of the popular geek news aggregation site Boing Boing said that engineers should simply refuse to create DRM systems for customers. A request for a DRM system is a sign that the customer is in denial, and isn't dealing rationally with reality.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Let's not exaggerate. He said that those without net access are not part of the target market for the DI.

That's what I understood it to mean as well.

I mean if a customer has no interest in obtaining or utilizing online content and the product is online content then you'd think quite obviously that that particular customer isnt the target market.

If youre not interested in something extra because of the particular medium that it's in then that's not the fault of WOTC that's the choice of the individual. Right now storage space on my multiple hard drives is cheaper than physical space for books and magazines. Also it's easier to access from multiple locations. Some people have the physical space, great for them for me not so much. So basically if it's not for some people, it's not for them but to complain and sound like youre being shortchanged doesnt exactly sound right in this particular instance.

 

[Ry]

In a recent talk at Google, Cory Doctorow, the Electronic Freedom activist, science fiction author, and creator of the popular geek news aggregation site Boing Boing said that engineers should simply refuse to create DRM systems for customers. A request for a DRM system is a sign that the customer is in denial, and isn't dealing rationally with reality.

Wow. I love this paragraph, becaues Doctorow's got so much cynicism and idealism at the same time. I mean, I hate DRM as much as the next guy, but you're basically telling the man next to the deranged millionaire that when you get sprayed you with $100 dollar bills you should refuse it because the millionaire's irrational. And maybe, in the interests of the deranged millionaire's mental health, you should.

Me, I'd be looking for a bag.

 

[Zaukrie]

It's not just about choice. For example, I limit my childrens' computer time. While the option to print is nice (and w/o full ownership, I'm not likely to pay), I'm not real interested in printing 100s of pages on my printer, especially color. So, while many gamers may have access to a computer, they won't all be allowed to access the DI (or they'll have to give up other uses of the computer). This to me is one of the big losses, the fact that my kids will have less acess to the material. The biggest loss is that I need to stare at a computer screen for hours more every month, when I used to be able to hold a nice, full color magazine in my hands.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

(1) Personally, I don't allow any products with DRM on my system. No Windows XP. No locked-sown PDFs, etc.
(2) Watermarking is not included in the definition of DRM (for example, no metion here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management ).


Others may be interested in the article written the other day by Jeremy Allison of Google, Inc. (lead engineer on the critical Samba project), titled "Why DRM won't ever work" ( http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6189011.html?tag=nl.e550 )

I'll just say watermarking is in my definition of DRM.

 

[ShinHakkaider]

Me, I'd be looking for a bag.

D00d, in this we are as like minded BROTHERS.

 

[Mark CMG]

I have two of the six players in my current gaming group who do not even have email addresses. They could, however, go to any public library in the area and easily get online if they so chose. I suppose WotC will have a big page at the end of every book with information on how to do just that.


I am still interested in knowing if there will be advertising in the DI?