@Campaigner:
The difference is that, when you install a AntiVirus application, you expect it to be installed with the necessary rights to remove viruses.
When you install a Firewall, you expect it to be installed with enough access to both avoid being fubared by other apps, as well as protecting your network reasonably well.
Both of these application types are installed with the full knowledge of the user, and believe me, I'd get pretty pissed if a game demo I installed came with a firewall piggybacking that installed itself without my knowledge or consent and proceeded to mess up my computer configuration, and even more so when it did not even have a uninstallation or a entry in add/remove programs.
the company Starforce are to blame for incompatilibty issues, bad support, PIO Stepdown and broken DVD+/-RW drives, BlueScreens, slow loading, not-loading at all.
The Publishers of software that utilizes Starforce restriction are to blame for installation not informing you, readme/faq/text not informing you, uninstaller not removing it, using Starforce, having some support themselves - and moving some support to Starforce in russia where many of the support engineers have a "Unique" way of communicating with their users, incompatibility issues with updated windows versions (x64, vista).
And the customer is to blame for purchasing software with the knowledge of it being infected with starforce, thus supporting its future.
I'd complain as long as restriction software is used on games, it affects the performance of the games, and it requires me to use a dongle (the cd in drive) to play the game. Both of which are detriment to the gaming enjoyment.
One good example, which was the end of me buying games (not related to starforce):
Playing Raven Shield required Cd-in-Drive. So you insert the CD, then connect to a server to play. Well, this sucked, disconnect, maybe I should play Battlefield 1942 - Desert Combat instead. Remove CD, find BAttlefield CD, Insert battlefield CD, connect, authentication, checking cd, playing for 15 minutes... new map, checking cd, Maybe I should play Flashpoint instead. Exit Battlefield CD, Find Flashpoint Cd, Insert Flashpoint CD, Launch game, Check CD, connecting, oh darn - game already in progress, check other servers, no servers available with gametype wanted (CTI), exit game, remove cd, maybe play Morrowind, find morrowind CD, insert morrowind cd, Hey, I bought morrowind on Launch date - lucky I am to get the SafeDisc Performance Issues, Crash.
So, the games are old, but the system of having a dongle to play - e v e r y - f u c k i n g - g a m e - I - o w n has not changed.
GIVE ME a "#&"... Let me AUTHENTICATE the CD ONLINE, GIVE ME a "LICENSE KEY", let me put it as a file. Have the game check that file and not require the CD. If they ABSOLUTELY have to check something, I mean.
Even better: Follow the Stardock model of not fucking over your Customers.
