If you play NWN you may have already allowed spyware on your system.

Neverwinter Nights: FUGGIN' SECUROM

Quote: Well, I've just done a bit more research on everyone's favourite copy protection, and what I discovered is truly disgusting.

The new SecuROM code (introduced in NWN v1.21) no longer searches for bad sectors. Instead, it merrily picks its way through your Windows registry, looking for such programs as CloneCD, Daemon-Tools and virtual drives. Should it find one of these "blacklisted" programs, drivers, or files, you get a pretty splash screen followed by the game refusing to load.

It's not known yet how the new SecuROM code distinguishes between original CD's and backups.

What is known, is that the problems with the new version are now threefold:

1) As usual, it infringes the rights of those who were kind enough to actually buy the game to backup their software (and after not even getting jewel cases with the game, that's adding insult to injury).

2) SecuROM now falls directly into the category of software known disaffectionately as "spyware". As if not being able to make backups weren't enough, I now have to deal with Sony snooping through my hard drive.

3) Even more compatibility issues have arisen. The new SecuROM often makes mistakes as to whether something is blacklisted or not. It even goes so far as blacklisting CD-burners that are able to correctly copy subchannel data! For the legal user, this is unacceptable.

Not allowing a game to run because you have a particular app on your system is just the first step. Will the next step be to strong-arm the competition by forcing me to uninstall all my EA titles to play something published by InfoGrames?

I know that the copy protection is more IG's business more than Bio's, but Bio is responsible for what is distributed in their patches. Bio can indeed remove this new version of SecuROM -- something I and many others vehemently urge Bio to do.

Derek French said that the SecuROM code in the 1.21 patch was modified without Bio's full awareness. Frankly, and for perhaps the first time, I don't know if I believe that. Regardless, what remains to be seen is what Bio will do about it. Keep the spyware, or give the loyal fans what they paid for?

Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

1.21 was the previous patch from about a month ago.

Spyware watches and reports back to home base...

This does not report any back to anywhere.

It simply tries to thwart people from using an unregistered copy of the software..

God forbid a software developer wants to get payed for their work...




Just to summarize, the Sky isnt falling..

I didn't realize that Sony was involved with Bioware...

perhaps someone has verant on the brain (whoever the quote is from)

I guess you didnt read the article...
This has nothign to do with Sonys announcement.

Sony made some kind of announcement? I was reading the quote above and in bullet #2 the original poster complained about having sony snooping his hard drive.

I was not aware Sony had any involvement with NWN

Apparently Sony owns/created/distributes SecureRom.

That would be the only ties with Sony in this article.

From what Bioware claims, it had no idea sony changed the way SecureRom works. rumor has it that Bioware will be patching it out on the next patch..

Either way, it doesnt change what I said, SecureRom is not spyware. Its copy protection, albeit annoying and over zealous copy protection, but copy protection none the less.

I have to agree with Aidden halfway, It's Copy Protection and it's doing it's job. But this version of SecureRom is not 100% compliance with Red Book Standards, forcing Myself and many many others to go out and buy a New CD-Rom/DVD that was able to read the the new SecureRom. THis is something Bioware said they will Address. Me being a legal owner of NWN was ticked when 1.21 came out and caused havic with my NWN CD and machine.

If anyone cares you can read about how copy protection works at www.tomshardware.com, search for the subject, he has a great article about this very issue.

I understand why they push the limits, but there has to be lines drawn sooner or later before they trash Industry Standards to accomplish the task.

Keyno

Then we agree all the way..

My point is that it isn't spy ware

I use D-tools and do not have a problem running NWN. Tho im not using D-tools to run NWN so maybe thats the reason?