Support NeoGAF

[jorma]

It's been like this since at least the 80's OP. I remember opening a copy of MS Flight Sim and they put the floppy disk in the user agreement, opening the folder the disk was in meant you agreed to the terms. One of those terms specifically said you didn't own the software (understood this even as a kid).

It's mainly to keep people from copying the software and then trying to sell it, claiming they bought it so it is theirs to distribute how they wish. It's basically saying the coding/programming is owned by the company and you only get the rights to use that copy of it.

No, you still own the disc and everything on it. (Unless you're in the US where those EULAS are probably legally valid, even though i don't think the supreme court has said their piece yet).

What's stopping me from making a copy of the disc i own is copyright legislation, not the "i'm not selling copies, i'm selling licenses" eulas. That shit is not valid.
So i can start selling copies of the disc i own in about 2000 years when the copyright has finally run out and no more extensions has been given.

 

[serversurfer]

The process of activating and deactivating a PS4 is not like the PS3, going by your post, it seems you are under the impression that it takes more than a login to the site, and deactivate/activate system button.

No, I realize it's different on the PS4. I just brought up the PS3 as an example of robust IP protection that didn't require checking on users periodically.

PS3 was horrible, and made you have to call in for deactivation. PS4 allows you to deactivate from there site with just a few clicks.

No, it made you deactivate from the device in question, which is why you didn't need to check in periodically. Calling CS to deactivate was a failsafe, for when you were unable to deactivate your console properly.

You are using the PS3 as your standard, but the system is not setup the same, and works much better in primary, while still allowing download and play at friends houses.

On the PS3, I could download and play at my friend's house, and I didn't need to be signed in to play. I was just limited on the total number of places I could do that.

Yeah, I agree that if we're talking strictly person to person, or digital-only license transfers, there's no need for periodic checks. It just gets a little weird when a 3rd party intermediary that you visit in the real world, and not on the internet (like a retailer you trade your disc into) has to get involved.

It's really discs that mess things up, not third parties per se. That's why I think it's probably easiest/best to leave discs as-is until they die of natural causes, and work on making digital licenses transferrable, since that's the bigger issue going forward. Regarding third parties, I see no reason why companies like GameStop and Amazon couldn't act as license brokers. I could sell them my Black Flag license for $5, and they can sell it to someone else for $10. As the seller, I can authorize a transfer of license custody to GameStop just as easily as I could to Bob.