Why so many objections to Steam?

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

NightSky 421 wrote:
> "Andrew" <spamtrap@localhost.> wrote in message
> news:tnr4d1dk4i419h1dke4oscfbamvdsdlsme@4ax.com...
>
>>In the early days of HL2 a patch was issued then within a day or two
>>revoked, all I had to do was wait a couple of minutes while Steam took
>>care of everything, never having to worry about what was happening
>>under the hood. After getting used to the convenience of Steam, having
>>to manually patch games seems so old fashioned.
>
>
>
> And that's fine if you feel that way, but just be aware that there are many
> of us who feel that Steam is a bad idea, and that some of us do in fact like
> to be to archive game patches on CD-R or DVD-R and install them as needed or
> wanted. I hope you're not implying that we're wrong to disagree with you.

Just burn the damn game onto DVD-R after a big patch for heaven's sakes.
That's what I do, and it means that after a reinstall I just have to
dump the game back onto my drive and it's already pre-patched. Simple.
There's another side to every argument.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:56:01 +0930, GFree <gfree678@gmail.com> wrote:

>NightSky 421 wrote:
>> "Andrew" <spamtrap@localhost.> wrote in message
>> news:tnr4d1dk4i419h1dke4oscfbamvdsdlsme@4ax.com...
>>
>>>In the early days of HL2 a patch was issued then within a day or two
>>>revoked, all I had to do was wait a couple of minutes while Steam took
>>>care of everything, never having to worry about what was happening
>>>under the hood. After getting used to the convenience of Steam, having
>>>to manually patch games seems so old fashioned.
>>
>>
>>
>> And that's fine if you feel that way, but just be aware that there are many
>> of us who feel that Steam is a bad idea, and that some of us do in fact like
>> to be to archive game patches on CD-R or DVD-R and install them as needed or
>> wanted. I hope you're not implying that we're wrong to disagree with you.
>
>Just burn the damn game onto DVD-R after a big patch for heaven's sakes.
>That's what I do, and it means that after a reinstall I just have to
>dump the game back onto my drive and it's already pre-patched. Simple.
>There's another side to every argument.

What if a new patch breaks your game ?
Since you have no option to not install it how do you go back easily
if you can at all?
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:56:01 +0930, GFree <gfree678@gmail.com> wrote:

>NightSky 421 wrote:
>> "Andrew" <spamtrap@localhost.> wrote in message
>>
>> And that's fine if you feel that way, but just be aware that there are many
>> of us who feel that Steam is a bad idea, and that some of us do in fact like
>> to be to archive game patches on CD-R or DVD-R and install them as needed or
>> wanted. I hope you're not implying that we're wrong to disagree with you.
>
>Just burn the damn game onto DVD-R after a big patch for heaven's sakes.

Instead of burning dozens or hundreds of patches for various games on
a similar one DVD-R? Your way seems kinda wasteful, and just goes to
show some people are willing to forgive anything. You really don't see
ANYTHING wrong with having to backup your complete game folder just in
order to retain certain patch level? Think of owning dozen or more
Steam games installed. Would you keep backing them up to DVD-Rs?

Do you have automatic updates enabled? How often do you backup your
Steam game(s) to retain the patch levels? What do you do when you see
upon game start that Steam starts to update your game you are about to
play? Do you rush to abort the update so that you can back up the game
before the update? Didn't some others just say in other messages that
the updates are so fast and transparent that most people don't even
realize their Steam game is being or was updated?

"For heaven's sakes...", right. It seems some people are ready to do
anything for Steam's quirks.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Memnoch wrote:

> On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 12:42:14 +0100, Andrew <spamtrap@localhost.> wrote:
>
>
>>On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 14:27:44 +0300, Hulk <Hulk@100TONS.spam> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>There's a reason why they call them troijans, they may be hidden in
>>>files and sometimes your Antivirus software won't spot them in time.
>>>And there weren't any Brad Pitt's banging with wooden horses in front of
>>>the castle either.
>>
>>I don't run any anti-virus software and have never suffered from a
>>virus or trojan. Common sense is a lot more useful than any AV
>>product.
>
>
> If you don't how do you know you AREN'T infected? ;-)

I almost never had problems with Windows Millennium, but I've noticed
WinXP is in danger almost every two days when I log onto the internet.
If I hadn't installed anti spyware program yesterday, I'd have about
four buggers spoiling the insides out. I have absolutely no idea how or
where those buggers come from. The websites I surf aren't Russian popup
prostitution nightmares, but mostly involving sites that include PC
hardware and PC games news.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 15:09:32 +0300, Hulk <Hulk@100TONS.spam> wrote:

>I almost never had problems with Windows Millennium, but I've noticed
>WinXP is in danger almost every two days when I log onto the internet.
>If I hadn't installed anti spyware program yesterday, I'd have about
>four buggers spoiling the insides out. I have absolutely no idea how or
>where those buggers come from. The websites I surf aren't Russian popup
>prostitution nightmares, but mostly involving sites that include PC
>hardware and PC games news.

www.getfirefox.com
--
Andrew, contact via interpleb.blogspot.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:19:08 +0100, Andrew <spamtrap@localhost.>
wrote:

>On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 15:09:32 +0300, Hulk <Hulk@100TONS.spam> wrote:
>
>>I almost never had problems with Windows Millennium, but I've noticed
>>WinXP is in danger almost every two days when I log onto the internet.
>>If I hadn't installed anti spyware program yesterday, I'd have about
>>four buggers spoiling the insides out. I have absolutely no idea how or
>>where those buggers come from. The websites I surf aren't Russian popup
>>prostitution nightmares, but mostly involving sites that include PC
>>hardware and PC games news.
>
>www.getfirefox.com

Unfortunately, it had critical problems as well, that's why FF is on
version 1.04 now. I am mostly using FF (except on my work PC), but it
also had the ability to catch up some trojan or virus from certain web
page, fortunately Antivir noticed it.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:16:05 GMT, riku <riku@none.invalid.com> wrote:

>Unfortunately, it had critical problems as well, that's why FF is on
>version 1.04 now. I am mostly using FF (except on my work PC), but it
>also had the ability to catch up some trojan or virus from certain web
>page, fortunately Antivir noticed it.

Firefox isn't perfect, but it has far less bugs and vulnerabilities
than IE and those that do arise, usually get fixed PDQ.
--
Andrew, contact via interpleb.blogspot.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:16:05 GMT, riku <riku@none.invalid.com> wrote:

>On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:19:08 +0100, Andrew <spamtrap@localhost.>
>wrote:
>
>>www.getfirefox.com
>
>Unfortunately, it had critical problems as well, that's why FF is on
>version 1.04 now. I am mostly using FF (except on my work PC), but it
>also had the ability to catch up some trojan or virus from certain web
>page, fortunately Antivir noticed it.

How convenient... apparently 1.05 was just released, with two critical
fixes and several high/moderate fixes. Goes to show that even the
mighty Firefox is not immune to security threats.

http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/known-vulnerabilities.html

*Sigh* And since Firefox does not contain useful automatic update
option like IE does, I will have to contact all the newbie users for
which I have installed Firefox, and explain them how to update their
Firefox manually. From now on, I think I will have only IE installed,
at least it will update itself periodically if you choose so.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Hulk <Hulk@100TONS.spam> wrote in news:db2vgq$75e$2@phys-news1.kolumbus.fi:

>
> Shawk wrote:
>
>> "Hulk" <Hulk@100TONS.spam> wrote:
>>
>>>stePH wrote:

No, I didn't. Not one word of mine is quoted in your post.


stePH
--
"Let me guess -- my theories appall you, my heresies outrage you,
I never answer letters, and you don't like my tie."
-- The Doctor
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

"stePH" <acetheta@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:42d51351_2@x-privat.org...
> Hulk <Hulk@100TONS.spam> wrote in
> news:db2vgq$75e$2@phys-news1.kolumbus.fi:
>
>>
>> Shawk wrote:
>>
>>> "Hulk" <Hulk@100TONS.spam> wrote:
>>>
>>>>stePH wrote:
>
> No, I didn't. Not one word of mine is quoted in your post.
>
>
> stePH

That one is down to me - sorry. Snipped the words but not the name in a
post on the 12th.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

redTed wrote:

>>Just know that Hulk is getting very angry right now, and the more Hulk is
>>downloading, the less Hulk can play. Steam just showed me a message where
>>it says:
>>
>>"Ready to play in approximately 8117 minutes and 44 seconds"
>>
>>And I'm not joking either.
>
>
> The Hulk was not known for any great intellect.

Very true, but during "Secret Wars" he had Bruce Banner's mindset. I'm
a huge Hulk fan. I'm currenlty living my childhood memories by reading
Essential Hulk vol 3.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Andrew <spamtrap@localhost.> wrote in
news😛u0ad15qqtoaffpto5r4kf1eboaprvtpak@4ax.com:

> I have a bunch of VHS tapes sitting in my loft gathering cobwebs as I
> don't want to go back to the inconvenience of analogue media. Despite
> having quite a few DVD's, I am looking forward to the day they are
> obsolete too. Physical media is a PITA sometimes, especially when it
> gets corrupted.

It's all physical media ... or what do you consider your hard drive?
What sort of non-physical media do you envision in the future?

stePH
--
"Let me guess -- my theories appall you, my heresies outrage you,
I never answer letters, and you don't like my tie."
-- The Doctor
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

"riku" <riku@none.invalid.com> wrote in message
news:kj7ad1hh3444ha41tkmui1dlab2t4bnpnu@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:16:05 GMT, riku <riku@none.invalid.com> wrote:
>
>
> *Sigh* And since Firefox does not contain useful automatic update
> option like IE does, I will have to contact all the newbie users for
> which I have installed Firefox, and explain them how to update their
> Firefox manually. From now on, I think I will have only IE installed,
> at least it will update itself periodically if you choose so.
>

A little like HL2 then ;-)
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:55:30 GMT, riku <riku@none.invalid.com> wrote:

>How convenient... apparently 1.05 was just released, with two critical
>fixes and several high/moderate fixes. Goes to show that even the
>mighty Firefox is not immune to security threats.
>
>http://www.mozilla.org/projects/security/known-vulnerabilities.html

Are you saying IE is impervious to anything now? Why when I use IE do
I regularly get spyware, when with Firefox I get none?

>*Sigh* And since Firefox does not contain useful automatic update
>option like IE does, I will have to contact all the newbie users for
>which I have installed Firefox, and explain them how to update their
>Firefox manually. From now on, I think I will have only IE installed,
>at least it will update itself periodically if you choose so.

Tools>Options>Advanced>Software Update
--
Andrew, contact via interpleb.blogspot.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 09:00:34 GMT, riku <riku@none.invalid.com> wrote:


>
>Why do you feel people should not raise the issues with Steam? Isn't
>it to our advantage try to change the things that irritate us about
>it? After all, Valve removed the "offline mode expiration timer"
>feature from Steam after Steam users complained about it.
>

And they can re-introduce it again with the next Steam patch....
without telling you.......... Nice healthy umbilical.

John Lewis
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 12:44:52 -0400, cccc@home.net wrote:

>On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 07:12:18 +0100, Andrew <spamtrap@localhost.>
>wrote:
>
>>On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 21:53:36 -0600, "NightSky 421"
>><nightsky421@yahoo.ca> wrote:
>>
>>>7. Buy and download a game and where is your printed manual? If you're
>>>paying premium dollars for a game, shouldn't you get some printed
>>>documentation with it?
>>
>>http://www.half-life2.com/manual/HL2_quickrefcard.pdf
>>
>>Hit print.
>
>Read number 7 again.

Andrew can't ( or won't) read before inserting foot in mouth
and banging on the keyboard. He has already made that mistake
once before in this thread.

Andrew - dyslexic ?? If so, I apologize - however, then
he needs third-party assistance before replying.

John Lewis
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

John Lewis wrote:

> Yes, email Gabe to send you an auto-reminder.

It's just smart using a separate email for shopping and other internet
activities. Steam has nothing to do with this. My reply to Memnoch had
nothing to do with Steam or Valve. I was giving some friendly advise on how
to cut down on spam on your personal email account. But you wouldn't know
because this just gave you another chance to act like a dick. If only you
could see how similar you and steamKILLER are.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 15:09:32 +0300, Hulk <Hulk@100TONS.spam> wrote:

>Memnoch wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 12:42:14 +0100, Andrew <spamtrap@localhost.> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 14:27:44 +0300, Hulk <Hulk@100TONS.spam> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>There's a reason why they call them troijans, they may be hidden in
>>>>files and sometimes your Antivirus software won't spot them in time.
>>>>And there weren't any Brad Pitt's banging with wooden horses in front of
>>>>the castle either.
>>>
>>>I don't run any anti-virus software and have never suffered from a
>>>virus or trojan. Common sense is a lot more useful than any AV
>>>product.
>>
>>
>> If you don't how do you know you AREN'T infected? ;-)
>
>I almost never had problems with Windows Millennium, but I've noticed
>WinXP is in danger almost every two days when I log onto the internet.
>If I hadn't installed anti spyware program yesterday, I'd have about
>four buggers spoiling the insides out. I have absolutely no idea how or
>where those buggers come from. The websites I surf aren't Russian popup
>prostitution nightmares, but mostly involving sites that include PC
>hardware and PC games news.

Same for IE really. I have recently moved over to Mozilla and am thinking
about trying their e-mail application. I currently use the Office 2003 suite
and Outlook 2003 is really good so I don't know how it will compare.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:19:08 +0100, Andrew <spamtrap@localhost.> wrote:

>On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 15:09:32 +0300, Hulk <Hulk@100TONS.spam> wrote:
>
>>I almost never had problems with Windows Millennium, but I've noticed
>>WinXP is in danger almost every two days when I log onto the internet.
>>If I hadn't installed anti spyware program yesterday, I'd have about
>>four buggers spoiling the insides out. I have absolutely no idea how or
>>where those buggers come from. The websites I surf aren't Russian popup
>>prostitution nightmares, but mostly involving sites that include PC
>>hardware and PC games news.
>
>www.getfirefox.com

Been using this for the last month or so and I can't believe how much faster
it is at some things. I have found a few sites where buttons don't appear at
all but open them in IE and they work. I have the Noscript, Adblock and
Flashgot extensions loaded and feel no reason to go back to IE at all. Adblock
is very flexible, even more so than Adshield which I used to use with IE.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 15:42:45 +0100, "Shawk" <shawk@clara.co.uk.3guesses>
wrote:

>
>"riku" <riku@none.invalid.com> wrote in message
>news:kj7ad1hh3444ha41tkmui1dlab2t4bnpnu@4ax.com...
>> On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:16:05 GMT, riku <riku@none.invalid.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> *Sigh* And since Firefox does not contain useful automatic update
>> option like IE does, I will have to contact all the newbie users for
>> which I have installed Firefox, and explain them how to update their
>> Firefox manually. From now on, I think I will have only IE installed,
>> at least it will update itself periodically if you choose so.
>>
>
>A little like HL2 then ;-)

I was waiting for that! 🙂
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

"GFree" <gfree678@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:42d45b2b_1@news.iprimus.com.au...

>>>Why should you be concerned about how Valve want you to play games? If
>>>you aren't prepared to deal with Steam, then don't. If you are, then you
>>>reap the rewards.
>> The surrender of privacy and choice are drawbacks not "rewards". I play
>> my games how I want without some game company trying to tell me how to
>> play them.
> Well, I can trap you there with a simple fact: most games force you to
> keep the CD/DVD in the drive as part of the copy-protection code. The
> company is therefore *forcing* you to keep the disc there otherwise you
> can't play (short of using cracks of course). You want to play something
> different? Hunt down the disc, hope it can be read by the drive and hope
> that SecuROM or whatever's being used does not trip up and prevent you
> from playing the game.
>
> My point is, if you're not gonna play Steam-based games because of how
> Valve want you to play, then you have to admit to not playing the vast
> majority of games based on the annoying CD/DVD checking copy-protection
> schemes currently available.

I apply no-CD patches to all of my games so it isn't an issue. Yes I object
to it, but it is not anywhere near as intrusive as Steam. They don't require
that I authenticate or register my game to Valve to play the single
player... and the CD key checks are anonymous.

Steam crosses the line.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

"Hank the Rapper" <xflopgoon@REMOVEyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:YOidnf9D3_sMxEnfRVn-uQ@comcast.com...
> Kroagnon wrote:
>
>> Oh I agree that the price is the fault of Ritual. Just as the full
>> price of HL2 on Steam is the fault of Valve.
>>
>> On the other hand, if it wasn't for Steam then Sin2 wouldn't exist.
>
> This could be seen as a good thing as it will let smaller developers
> release their stuff if they couldn't find a publisher. I'm not talking
> about Ritual specifically, but game developers in general. I remember
> reading a column in PC Gamer years ago about a few small developers who
> could only self publish their stuff over the web. Gabe Newell could do for
> independant gaming what Robert Redford did for independant movies. (Okay I
> am stretching a bit).
>
>> Ritual ouldn't find a publisher for it given the poor sales of the
>> last one. Due to them releasing a super buggy SiN 1.0, entirely
>> Ritual's fault.
>> That being said, $20 per episode is too much.
>
> I hate Ritual. Sin had it's moments, but it was not a good game.

I enjoyed SiN and the expansion in spite of Ritual. And I enjoyed Elite
Force II which was a complete game properly bug tested.

From what I've read from Ritual the past several months, nobody would
publish SiN2 at all. I guess the SiN 1.0 stigmata is hard to shake.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

"NightSky 421" <nightsky421@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:11d94p05e938n67@corp.supernews.com...

> And that's fine if you feel that way, but just be aware that there are
> many of us who feel that Steam is a bad idea, and that some of us do in
> fact like to be to archive game patches on CD-R or DVD-R and install them
> as needed or wanted. I hope you're not implying that we're wrong to
> disagree with you.

C'mon Nightsky you should know by now that a Steam fanatic's opinion trumps
everybody else's. Because he loves Steam and has no problems we are all
supposed to change our opinion of it.
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

Memnoch <memnoch@nospampleaseimbritish.ntlworld.com> wrote in
news:vtrad15ug65pnfajs0qo2bpej4sp6fest0@4ax.com:

>>I almost never had problems with Windows Millennium, but I've noticed
>>WinXP is in danger almost every two days when I log onto the internet.
>>If I hadn't installed anti spyware program yesterday, I'd have about
>>four buggers spoiling the insides out. I have absolutely no idea how
>>or where those buggers come from. The websites I surf aren't Russian
>>popup prostitution nightmares, but mostly involving sites that include
>>PC hardware and PC games news.
>
> Same for IE really. I have recently moved over to Mozilla and am
> thinking about trying their e-mail application. I currently use the
> Office 2003 suite and Outlook 2003 is really good so I don't know how
> it will compare.
>

Surfing the web with Internet Exploder is like saying "I want viruses and
trojans! What have you got?"

stePH
--
"Let me guess -- my theories appall you, my heresies outrage you,
I never answer letters, and you don't like my tie."
-- The Doctor
 
Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action (More info?)

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 19:50:41 GMT, Memnoch
<memnoch@nospampleaseimbritish.ntlworld.com> wrote:

>Been using this for the last month or so and I can't believe how much faster
>it is at some things. I have found a few sites where buttons don't appear at
>all but open them in IE and they work. I have the Noscript, Adblock and
>Flashgot extensions loaded and feel no reason to go back to IE at all. Adblock
>is very flexible, even more so than Adshield which I used to use with IE.

Personally I am not sure it is much faster than IE, but friends I have
converted to it often say it is much faster, but their IE's are
infested with spyware that slows it down. Adblock is the best
invention since the browser, and for dial-up users it helps speed
things up by getting rid of the annoying large ads.
--
Andrew, contact via interpleb.blogspot.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.
 
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