Originally posted by rob_a_johnson:

"You will own nothing and be happy"

Yup, that warning about unfettered capitalism is coming true. Too bad people are too busy demonizing something that doesn't even exist in the modern world (communism) to see how capitalism ♥♥♥♥♥ them with its subscription-based models and other ♥♥♥♥.

So giving up gaming and the use of software, then?

Originally posted by dulany67:

So giving up gaming and the use of software, then?

OP probably only started reading EULAs and such in the last 10-15 years, so he's not aware that this is boilerplate stuff.

Games you buy on steam are technically not yours.

Want to really own the copy of the digital games you paid for it? Buy it on GoG, (which gives you a DRM free copy of your game) make a backup of the game files to an external hard drive. Duplicate said backup to another midia storage device. Pray that you never forget about said backups.

It's pretty standard - you have a license to use the software. Which means in particular you can't resell it because you don't own it, it's an agreement between you and them to let you use it.

Mostly this isn't terribly relevant, but there are little details like your Steam account is not legally inherited if you die because the agreement was with you specifically.

Even got I think you usually don't get technical legal ownership because that's a mess.

Looks like it's someone's first day of gaming.

Originally posted by rob_a_johnson:

i actually read the Eula

...

Kiss my ♥♥♥! Refund!

We haven't owned software since the 1970s. You would be sick from learning how much stuff you think is yours is actually licensed.

Go ahead, and give all of that back in an entitled, ignorant tantrum, too.

Originally posted by EricHVela:

We haven't owned software since the 1970s. You would be sick from learning how much stuff you think is yours is actually licensed.

right ?

the importance of that particular legal mumbo jumbo is that we don't "own" the "code" in any way, meaning that we have no rights to alter or manipulate (or decompose) the code

that's really what those words are protecting - the software company's right to sue you if you screw with their property. just like renting an apartment to live in.

The license we buy for sw is a simple "Use License", providing the right to "use" the code, and i'm not sure we need more.

Install the code, which is necessary for "use", and play away

the games that bother me more are the ones requiring login to play, but again, that's just the software companies trying to protect their property,

and that's thanks to hackers (as well as economics)

No one has been able to "own" intellectual property (they purchase but did not create) since the concept of intellectual property was conceived. If you buy a book, you don't technically own it because you cannot reproduce and sell it. In fact, most things in this world available for purchase, have some "revocable" clause, either written in a EULA or by State laws, in their use.

Originally posted by rob_a_johnson:

What? Yeah, i actually read the Eula and I see this blurb:

"You acknowledge and agree you have no ownership, property, financial, or other interest in the game"

What? So that $57 I paid to spend the day downloading was a political contribution or something? WTF?

"You will own nothing and be happy"

Kiss my ass! Refund!

Uh... if you read all of Steams EULA they all say something to that effect.

Wait til you read the Windows or MacOS EULAs.

Has Steam (or anybody) ever pulled a game ppl "bought", so they can't play it any more w/o a refund? Not including EA/abandonware/that sort of thing, obvs.

you don't own your OS either...

Ok so we don't technically own it... So? would they be able to prevent people from playing?? Just don't connect to the internet so they can't enable a block on it or something. Honestly have no clue about that situation though. actually curious...

This is why I rarely ever buy games full retail. There's too much to play, too much to do, and big discounts on all games are inevitable. We only pay for access to games, we don't own anything. In the good old days I could justify paying full retail and then sell it to make money back. Today that is not possible.