Why your digital games could vanish in a heartbeat

News that GOG.com has delisted 29 games this month is a sobering reminder that at any moment the games you own could vanish from your PC game libraries at any time and there’s not much you can do about it. Admittedly, GOG’s games include titles that many gamers may not have heard about. But history has shown that this happens to well-known titles too and on platforms with millions of users like Steam and Origin. So how is it that something you’ve legitimately bought can be whipped away in a heartbeat? Don’t we have consumer protection laws against that? Personally, I’d like to see protections in place to keep games from disappearing for purely licensing reasons if they still have legions of fans and are being played by many… How is it that my games can just vanish? The laws around your digital assets will differ depending on where in the world you live, but in most jurisdictions there are no clear laws stating that you unequivocally own and have the right to your digital games in perpetuity. In the U.S. the Federal Trade Commission outlines some of the reasons why this is the case. By far the main reason has to do with the terms of the agreement you make when you create an account on a gaming platform or when you click purchase. When you buy a game on a digital platform, you’re essentially just paying to access the content — in other words, you own a license but not the actual game. Accessing content is not the same as owning it. It means that... Continue reading at 'PC World'

[ PC World | 2024-09-26 10:30:00 UTC ]

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Searching for Little Free Libraries As a Way to Say Goodbye

A reader on saying goodbye not only to the books she can't bring on the next phase of her journey, but to her roomie, her sister. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-09-15 10:35:00 UTC ]
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Happily-Ever-After Horror: Spotlight on Darcy Coates

A new partnership with Poisoned Pen Press brings the prolific and popular author’s horror novels to bookstores and libraries everywhere. (Sponsored) Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Your DNA didn’t change, Ancestry.com’s science did

Where did you come from? It’s a question many people never consider, but some are curious and the best answer to that, aside from lots of time in archives, historical societies, libraries and cemeteries, is a DNA test. You have multiple options, but the leader is Ancestry.com and it is always... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2020-09-13 08:36:25 UTC ]
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Why this author is taking a stand against Amazon’s audiobook monopoly

Famed writer and activist Cory Doctorow is selling the audio version of his upcoming book via Kickstarter to sidestep the walled garden of Amazon-owned audiobook platform Audible. When science fiction writer and activist Cory Doctorow releases his new novel, Attack Surface, next month, you’ll be... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2020-09-12 09:00:52 UTC ]
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Discovery + Diversity: 8 Moms on Building Personal Libraries for Kids

Eight moms on how they're building personal libraries for their children and building their interest in reading. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-09-11 10:37:00 UTC ]
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Numerous Poetic Facts About Swine

Pigs They are born in a flood of magma. They claw their way to the center of the earth. They don’t know what a blouse is, and they don’t care. There are seventeen constellations named for their kin. They coordinate all the Monday briefings. When they read the wrong books, they return them to... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2020-08-31 11:00:00 UTC ]
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How Librarians Helped Invent the YA Category of Books

A look back in history to how YA librarians and libraries helped create the young adult category of books for teens. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-08-31 10:30:00 UTC ]
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New open source API bug detection tool improves application security testing

Software development today usually involves the use of third-party APIs, libraries or frameworks that are complex, rapidly evolving, and sometimes poorly documented. Security testing solutions company GrammaTech is launching its new Swap Detector, an open-source checker that detects application... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2020-08-26 14:39:21 UTC ]
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6 Excellent Books Featuring Libraries or Librarians

What could be better than a book about a library, or featuring a librarian as its main character? Find a book for every library lover. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-08-24 10:30:00 UTC ]
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Pearse to hold live events for Libraries Connected

Libraries Connected has announced that author Lesley Pearse will launch its new series of virtual events. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-23 22:19:04 UTC ]
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Are Little Free Libraries helping locals survive COVID? L.A. weighs in

With most bookstores and libraries still closed, some are turning to the neighborhood boxes, others avoiding the risk. Jay Duplass is on the fence. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-08-20 14:00:35 UTC ]
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Richard Ovenden | 'I wanted to get across why [libraries] are so important for society'

The 25th Bodley’s Librarian, Richard Ovenden, makes the case for libraries as vital arbiters of history and guardians of rights in his stirring first book Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-20 11:45:56 UTC ]
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We ran ray tracing on a $259 Chromebook with GeForce Now

Nvidia’s long-awaited GeForce Now arrived on Chromebooks Tuesday morning, giving gamers the ability to play their game libraries on Google’s laptops.Plans for GeForce Now streamed gaming on Chrome OS have been in the works since 2017. The service, already popular on Windows and MacOS, lets... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2020-08-18 16:54:00 UTC ]
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Libraries Reopen in COVID-19 Hot Spots: Are Library Staff Being Protected?

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[ Book Riot | 2020-08-18 10:35:00 UTC ]
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15+ Library Stickers To Show Your Love of That Special Place

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[ Book Riot | 2020-08-12 10:32:00 UTC ]
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These library watercolors will soothe your anxious soul.

To celebrate the New York Public Library turning 125(!), the Hudson Park branch asked New York City-based artist Nick Golebiewski to paint the libraries of lower Manhattan. (My personal favorite? The Jefferson Market Library, which is just a short walk from our office. I miss it so!) If you too... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-08-11 17:37:54 UTC ]
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Flaws Could Have Exposed Cryptocurrency Exchanges to Hackers

Researchers found troubling bugs in open-source libraries used by financial institutions. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2020-08-09 11:00:00 UTC ]
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See Inside 7 Beautiful Monastic Libraries

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[ Book Riot | 2020-08-06 10:37:00 UTC ]
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NYC Child Care Plan Includes Using Libraries

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[ Book Riot | 2020-08-05 10:33:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House Extends Temporary E-book, Digital Audio Terms for Libraries

Terms of sale first enacted in March to help librarians during the Covid-19 crisis will now run through the end of the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-08-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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