Sharing DDI Accounts: why isn't this like file sharing?

[IronWolf]

Me too. I thought it was intended, what with the magic number 5, that it was built for the entire group.

Yeah, from the discussion I have seen the number five was more to allow for errors in the update process and that more and more people have more than one computer at home.

 

[vagabundo]

Huh, that'll teach me. I could have sworn that wasn't the case.

I'm pretty sure this is legal butt covering and it was designed the way you originally inferred.

But, maybe, this thread should just, you know... Disappear...

 

[Umbran]

That the TOU technically disallows it does not mean they didn't intend or expect it to happen.

It isn't a trademark thing - they don't have to enforce if they don't feel like it. I suspect they don't much feel like enforcing on small violations that are apt to generate real sales in the long run.

 

[Aegeri]

I definitely know it's against the terms of use to actually directly share the account on another persons PC, but given I let my IRL players make their characters on my computer I don't think I'm breaking anything (I wouldn't get use out the character builder if I didn't). I'm too paranoid to share my passwords and such though, even with my IRL group!

I do think that Wizards probably guessed it would be used this way. I've never seen them enforce anything - but that doesn't mean they won't. The drama it would cause them wouldn't be worth it by far.

 

[Votan]

Yeah, from the discussion I have seen the number five was more to allow for errors in the update process and that more and more people have more than one computer at home.

In that sense it is a good idea. It prevents frustration if there is a reason a user has to reinstall windows or buys a new computer. It a lot cheaper than fielding customer complaints about "windows died and now I can't use the software". Five reinstalls covers most likely scenarios as well as allowing it on multiple computers owned by a single user.

I see it as a nice way of preventing one account from being abused widely and yet avoid issues with DRM leading to customer service calls.

In this way it is like dropping the lowest score on a quiz each semester; it dramatically reduces the number of discussions you need to have about what was an acceptable absence.

 

[Nightson]

I'd just like to point out that if the number of installs really was aimed at covering the typical group, then they're one short since DM and five players would need six installs.

(May or may not have run into that issue >.> )

 

[Primal]

Hmmm... I don't know about US copyright or IP laws, but in my country's legislation "for personal use" means "to be used/viewed at home, also with your family or friends". As I said, I don't know if this applies in the States, though.

 

[Echohawk]

Some also say the number is so high to also allow for corrected updates to be rolled out in any given month.

Yeah, from the discussion I have seen the number five was more to allow for errors in the update process and that more and more people have more than one computer at home.

I'm not so sure about the errors-in-the-updates reason. I seem to recall that the last time they did an extra unscheduled update because the usual update
broken something significant, they reset the download counter, so you could get the fixed update five times too.

 

[IronWolf]

I'm not so sure about the errors-in-the-updates reason. I seem to recall that the last time they did an extra unscheduled update because the usual update
broken something significant, they reset the download counter, so you could get the fixed update five times too.

Yeah - that part just something I saw mentioned in some posts on the wizards site. How accurate it is I am unsure, as you mentioned I would have expected them to just decrement the download counter by one on the back end.

Still - by allowing five updates they easily handle a user with multiple computers, account for an OS reinstall and such without forcing a call to customer service to resolve.

 

[avin]

Isn't normal groups considered of five people and a DM? Then it should be a six PC license use.

Just for the record I update CB on my PC, my wife's notebook, my own notebook and sometimes on my mother's house, when I play there.