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 ]
Face masks and social distancing will be enforced. Signs will direct foot traffic, and furniture and bookshelves have been reorganized. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-04-16 15:00:47 UTC ]
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Under the terms of its program, which PRH began more than a year ago, libraries have the option to license e-books and digital audio for one-year terms at a 50% prorated price as an alternative to the existing two-year term (for e-books) or perpetual access (for digital audio). Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-04-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Global Literature in Libraries Initiative names two winners for 2021, both translated from Brazilian Portuguese by Larissa Helena. The post The ‘GLLI’ Translated YA Book Prize Announces 2021 Brazilian Co-Winners appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-04-07 07:20:38 UTC ]
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The ProQuest-NYU Libraries project is available to thousands of international students and scholars during its pilot until August 31. The post International Students, Scholars Have Access to NYU’s Pilot With ProQuest appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-04-07 04:12:31 UTC ]
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ALA President Julius C. Jefferson Jr. said that not including libraries in the administration’s plan would be a “missed opportunity” and urged librarians to contact the White House. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-04-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Organizations today face a major threat in terms of cybersecurity, from malicious URLs to credential reuse, and having robust security systems can make all the difference. With Machine Learning for Cybersecurity Cookbook you'll learn how to use Python libraries such as TensorFlow and... Continue reading at Betanews
[ Betanews | 2021-04-01 11:33:09 UTC ]
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A lot of the web revolves around video content (subscribe to our YouTube channel!) and podcasts these days, but that brings some accessibility challenges you won’t find with the written word. Hundreds of millions of people are deaf or hard of hearing. Other folks have trouble processing... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2021-03-25 21:01:00 UTC ]
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Interviews Born and brought up in Assam, Kaushik Barua is an emerging Indian English author. He completed his degree in economics from St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, and then studied political economy at the London School of Economics. In his day... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2021-03-15 20:37:05 UTC ]
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You may know about the stimulus checks, but the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 also includes billions of dollars to support libraries. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2021-03-11 12:33:15 UTC ]
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The Maryland legislature this week became the first to pass legislation that would ensure libraries can license digital content that is available to consumers. Similar legislation is pending in New York and Rhode Island. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
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From antiracism books to Reese's YA book club picks, here are the most uniquely popular books in US libraries from Quarter 4, 2020. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2021-03-08 11:33:00 UTC ]
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A deep dive into the history of racism in American public libraries, including the effects of Jim Crow laws and racism in libraries today. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2021-03-08 11:30:00 UTC ]
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I’ll be the first to acknowledge Amazon and I make rather strange bedfellows. Raised on local libraries and used bookstores, I’ve long been a loyal customer to many of the indie bookshops cornered by the world’s largest online retailer, prizing them as community centers and places to find a... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2021-03-08 09:49:14 UTC ]
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The Build America’s Libraries Act was introduced in the House of Representatives this week by Reps. Andy Levin (D-MI) and Don Young (R-AK) and would provide $5 billion to address decades of needed repairs, updates, as well as the construction of modern library facilities in underserved and... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-05 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Taking a look at libraries offering services to seniors during the pandemic, with programs for memory care, vaccine roll-out, and more. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2021-03-03 11:33:00 UTC ]
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"What do libraries do?" You may be surprised by these seven basic services your public library offers for free, including job search help. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2021-03-01 11:30:00 UTC ]
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The Library Campaign has warned that hundreds of libraries may close not only for the pandemic, but permanently. With councils under financial strain and Walsall’s council leader even asking, “Do we need [them]?”, the future of libraries needs protecting. Libraries are an indispensable service... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-01 00:31:07 UTC ]
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Can you think of a single feel-good news story from the past five years that isn’t, at its core, an indictment of the society in which we live? Here at Lit Hub, one of our most-read stories last year was “Big-hearted strangers turn Little Free Libraries into Little Free Pantries.” While I don’t... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2021-02-23 16:10:35 UTC ]
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If you're planning some bookish trips for the future, don't miss adding these gorgeous libraries to visit post-pandemic to the list. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2021-02-22 11:30:00 UTC ]
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Long considered a tool to encourage patrons to return materials on time, in the past few years hundreds of public libraries have decided late fees do more harm than good by keeping away low-income and disadvantaged readers. Continue reading at CBC
[ CBC | 2021-02-21 09:00:00 UTC ]
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