Gather ’round, children, and let me tell you a story about the old bugaboo we used to call DRM. Digital Rights Management was the beast under every gamer’s bed in the mid-2000s, an invisible bit of software baked into game discs that dictated and tracked player behavior under the guise of preventing piracy. DRM software, like SecuROM, limited the times a game could be downloaded and forced players to regularly connect to the internet for authentication checks, at a time when less than half of American adults had reliable broadband connections. DRM features soured the releases of BioShock, Mass Effect and Spore, and by 2010, anti-piracy software had rendered Assassin’s Creed 2 and Splinter-Cell: Conviction unplayable. When Microsoft attempted to release the Xbox One with always-on DRM features in 2013, intense vitriol from fans forced the company to reverse its plans at the 11th hour. There were lawsuits. DRM was a curse word. Meanwhile, Valve was building out Steam. When it landed in 2003, the digital PC storefront was designed to streamline the patch process for games like Counter-Strike and make it easier for Valve to implement anti-piracy and anti-cheat measures. Steam was made to be a DRM machine. In 2004, with the release of Half-Life 2, Valve made Steam a requirement for every player, and even those who’d purchased new, physical copies of the game had to boot up the launcher first. There was some low-level grumbling, but PC players were used to being lab rats, and... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2024-03-04 16:30:21 UTC ]
Cable used to be the only game in town for wide entertainment. Sure, if you wanted to subscribe to a game like EverQuest or World of Warcraft, you could (and well, guess the rest of us were never seeing you again). But for variety, cable is what you had—and it wasn’t cheap. So when... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2023-10-04 14:10:27 UTC ]
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Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a dream for stealth kings. People who loved Sam Fisher in Splinter Cell or simply the old Assassin’s Creeds will have a tremendous fun in beautiful 9th century Baghdad, our recent hands-on with the game revealed. We throw coins, briefly distract a guard, dart... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2023-09-29 19:00:00 UTC ]
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It’s no coincidence that many programs using artificial intelligence techniques are open source and thus completely free. This is because the early approaches originated in academia, where free licences for software are common practice in order to promote collaboration and further... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2023-09-18 11:30:00 UTC ]
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Drag performers who read stories to children at libraries across Canada have faced an increase in protests calling the events destructive for kids, and in some cases, even threats of violence. But the king and queens say they won't let that stop them, because storytimes are about joy and literacy. Continue reading at CBC
[ CBC | 2023-09-16 08:00:00 UTC ]
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Among the week's headlines: a politically charged hearing on book bans in the U.S. Senate; Illinois libraries face another wave of bomb threats; an internal report reveals the strain library workers at the Oakland Public Library are feeling; and a brilliant essay explores how today's right wing... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Opus & Olives, a gala fundraiser sponsored by the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, is celebrating its 20th anniversary on October 8. The annual event is one of the most successful public library fundraisers in the U.S. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple snuck in a significant change to iCloud data storage near the end of its “Wonderlust” iPhone 15 event. The company added two new iCloud+ storage tiers: 6TB ($30 / month) and 12TB ($60 / month).The 6TB and 12TB cloud storage tiers join the existing 50GB, 200GB and 2TB plans currently... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-09-12 19:48:53 UTC ]
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Get away from it all with a journey to the most magical libraries in fiction from the Library of Zosma to the Great Libraries of Austmeer. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-09-12 10:34:00 UTC ]
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At a glanceExpert's Rating ProsHefty performance for a 14-inch deviceCrisp oled displayTop-notch keyboard and mouse padSturdy, durable chassisConsCan get hot to play onSome fiddling with settingsOur VerdictIf you’re looking for serious power in a tiny package, the Asus Zenbook 14 Pro OLED... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2023-08-31 10:30:00 UTC ]
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BookmarkED claims to help schools and parents navigate book bans. But where and how the app gets is information is a secret. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-08-28 14:02:30 UTC ]
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If you’ve been feeling constrained by Microsoft Excel’s methods for manipulating data, you’re in luck—Python can now be used within your spreadsheets. The inclusion of the popular programming language went live earlier this week, with the feature available as a public preview. According... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2023-08-24 20:21:37 UTC ]
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A new wave of legislation is leading to censorship in schools and libraries by creating a climate of fear and uncertainty for educators. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Story windows are something you can find at libraries and are similar to story walks, but what are they? One writer explores. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-08-18 10:33:00 UTC ]
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Among the week's headlines: libraries and schools face multiple challenges in Texas; a library administrator in Missouri is warned to stay 'politically neutral' or face discipline; a library in Seattle faces closure for making diverse books available; and Jay-Z juices library card signups at the... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Iranian-French author of 'Persepolis,' which celebrates its 20th anniversary with a new edition, discusses her shift from comics to film, the banning of books in America, and her pride in Iran's young revolutionaries. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Five schools, each located in states affected by book bans, will receive up to $5,000 in diverse titles for students and libraries from We Need Diverse Books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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It certainly didn't take long for AI's other shoe to drop, what with the emergent technology already being perverted to commit confidence scams and generate spam content. We can now add censorship to that list as the Globe Gazette reports the school board of Mason City, Iowa has begun leveraging... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-08-14 20:25:41 UTC ]
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Jess deCourcy Hinds hopefully predicts a new trend in book publishing: the librarian memoir. | Lit Hub Libraries “It’s like someone hitting you on the side of the head. It’s marvelous.” Former Velvet Underground frontman Lou Reed talks to Allan Jones about making an unlistenable album. | Lit Hub... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-08-11 10:30:06 UTC ]
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Libraries and bookstores aren't just places to find books, but "third places" where you can find community, great conversation, and fun. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-08-11 10:30:00 UTC ]
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A September shipment to Kyiv comprises new books donated by UK publishers for Book Aid International and PEN chapters' distribution. The post Book Aid International: 25,000 Books for Ukrainian Libraries appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-08-08 22:51:38 UTC ]
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