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 ]
It’s no surprise that people read a lot when stuck at home. But novels are more than a way to kill timeIt’s no surprise that keen readers have looked to books for historical analogues or literary insights into the coronavirus outbreak. Sales of the English translation of Albert Camus’s 1947... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2020-04-19 17:25:44 UTC ]
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As quarantine continues, we’re all noticing that we respond to lockdown differently. While many spend each day providing care, food and other necessities, those of us privileged enough to be 'stuck at home' are seeing our friends’ and family members’ behaviour change under the new... Continue reading at British Council global
[ British Council global | 2020-04-17 15:42:05 UTC ]
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The value of public libraries is rarely questioned in times of crisis—think of the New Orleans Public Library after Hurricane Katrina, or the Ferguson Municipal Public Library during the unrest there. But this crisis is different. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Bookseller's Library of the Year Award is returning for a third year, celebrating the vital contribution libraries make to their communities—despite the temporary closure forced on public library buildings during the coronavirus lockdown. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-16 03:38:23 UTC ]
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It feels slightly strange to be writing this introduction to the Books from Scotland special as the world, and the world of Scottish books, has changed greatly, perhaps even irrevocably, since we started planning these features some months ago. The impact the coronavirus will have on Scottish... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-15 21:22:05 UTC ]
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Even when shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic, libraries are coming up with creative ways to serve their communities. On March 16, the El Dorado County Library in California closed its doors to patrons after a state-wide stay-at-home order. But that hasn’t stopped the library, which serves... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2020-04-15 07:00:32 UTC ]
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Though many public libraries in the U.S. are completely shut, employees at some are concerned that they have been asked to continue showing up for work. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2020-04-14 23:04:05 UTC ]
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Many libraries publish art and literary magazines featuring authors and artists from their local community and from all over the world. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2020-04-13 10:31:23 UTC ]
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With libraries closed, L.A. librarians now work from home to help people find free ebooks, music and movies during the coronavirus crisis. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-04-10 19:52:47 UTC ]
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University of South Florida The region's biggest research institution is tackling coronavirus on many fronts. USF Libraries has created a map that updates in real-time with the number of coronavirus cases and deaths, breaking down those statistics further into residential status, sex and age.... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-04-09 16:01:39 UTC ]
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Your local library might have closed its physical doors, but its digital holdings are still open to the public—and at all hours.Free loans on ebooks, movies, audiobooks, and magazines represent just one aspect of your library’s offerings for enrichment. Your library might also let you read... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2020-04-08 10:00:00 UTC ]
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A number of little free library volunteer stewards -- both registered and unregistered with the Little Free Library organization – have switched from filling the mounted boxes in front of their homes with free books to filling them with household items. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Charity Libraries Connected has launched Libraries From Home, a page on its website rounding up remote services libraries across the country are delivering during the coronavirus crisis. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-07 01:22:20 UTC ]
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Even for people who have lost jobs or income during the coronavirus epidemic, there are books and reading material available online for free. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2020-04-03 09:00:21 UTC ]
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If March was dire, April may yet live up to its reputation as the cruellest month, as we all discover that without bookshops, libraries and festivals, this trade looks very different. A business just about, but not how we know it, or would like it to be. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-02 14:21:49 UTC ]
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Grab your coloring instruments and get your art on with these free coloring pages from over 100 museums and libraries worldwide. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2020-03-27 10:39:16 UTC ]
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The University of South Florida has created a coronavirus-tracking map that shows users both the cases and deaths that occur from the virus spreading across the world. The tool was created by USF Libraries and the GIS unit of the digital heritage and humanities collections. It came to be after... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-03-26 11:30:43 UTC ]
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A librarian recounts giving an education on libraries and the book check out process to a young library patron. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2020-03-25 10:33:21 UTC ]
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If you're stuck at home and bemoaning the absence of libraries from your life, don't fear! Here are some great books available on Hoopla right now. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2020-03-24 10:40:03 UTC ]
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Shuttering public libraries puts a strain on communities—even if it’s the only way to keep people safe. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2020-03-23 20:35:01 UTC ]
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