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 ]
Engadget readers like yourself are probably more tech savvy than the average person. That means you may get roped into helping older family members with email woes, new phone setups, or deciphering if a message is legit or a phishing scam. In my family, I’ve become my mother’s unofficial IT... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-01-15 14:00:13 UTC ]
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Though they’re sometimes characterized as attention-addled homebodies, younger people see a real value in libraries − one that goes beyond books. Continue reading at The Conversation
[ The Conversation | 2024-01-12 13:28:57 UTC ]
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Public libraries need to prepare for what's happening at school libraries to happen to them. That, plus this week's book censorship news. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-01-12 11:40:00 UTC ]
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Among this week's headlines: EveryLibrary updates its “legislation to watch” tracker for 2024; Indiana lawmakers take aim at how libraries are funded in the state; and the Los Angeles Public Library gets into publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-12 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Another year, another record: OverDrive reps reported this week that 152 libraries around the world reached million-checkout milestone last year, including 23 first-timers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-11 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Connect with book lovers all over the world by following 17 of the best bookstores and libraries on TikTok. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-01-09 11:36:00 UTC ]
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The data supports the work of libraries and library workers far more than it doesn't. That, plus this week's book censorship news. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-01-05 11:40:00 UTC ]
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Handheld gaming systems are having a moment. While gaming on the go has been a thing since the Game Boy, the success of the Nintendo Switch and a string of ever-improving processors have brought an eruption of devices that let you play all sorts of games anywhere you want. Because new models... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-12-22 15:00:18 UTC ]
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Bless me, Gaben, for I have sinned. In a moment of weakness I turned off the adult content filters in my Steam search, and now my game library has been tainted by the shame of tender, undulating flesh rendered in Unreal Engine. But fear not, fellow naughty gamers: Steam will soon let you... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2023-12-21 15:29:02 UTC ]
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95% of parents believe every school should have a library, but 60% also believe those libraries should have restrictions. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-12-20 13:21:21 UTC ]
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As a precocious teen looking to improve my college application, I sat in on a business studies class. I figured taking two extra A-Levels at night school alongside those I took during the day would make me irresistible to admissions tutors. The class I watched examined if it was worth a large... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-12-18 15:30:52 UTC ]
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Governments and outside organizations can do a lot to preserve collections when disaster is looming. Even so, a part of human identity is erased with each library bombed. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-12-12 11:00:34 UTC ]
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Baker & Taylor’s Aman Kochar has embraced the wholesaler’s role as a conduit between libraries and publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Earlier this year, Google announced it would shut down its standalone podcast app in 2024. Since then, the company has started moving podcasts into YouTube and its companion app YouTube Music. As a way to ease the transition, Google will be rolling out a migration tool for its current podcast... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-12-07 19:40:39 UTC ]
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Despite rhetoric from the far right, most parents feel their kids are safe in libraries and that librarians are trustworthy. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-12-01 11:40:00 UTC ]
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Among the week's headlines: Iowa becomes the next book banning legal battleground; a survey finds that parents still overwhelmingly trust libraries and library workers; and ALA announces Meg Medina as honorary chair of National Library Week 2024. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-01 05:00:00 UTC ]
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An overwhelming majority of parents and guardians believe librarians are trustworthy and that libraries are safe spaces for children. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-11-28 15:08:22 UTC ]
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Good things come to those who wait, and if you decided to hold off on buying the Meta Quest 2 when it was discounted by $50 as part of Amazon’s early Black Friday sale, your patience is about to be rewarded. Now that Black Friday has come and gone, not only is the... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-11-25 15:47:52 UTC ]
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ALA names an interim executive director; New York City libraries curb services after a mid-year budget cut; Moms for Liberty goes after Scholastic Book Fairs; and the Pew Research Center finds people are increasingly turning to such social media sites as TikTok for news. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon has begun notifying Comixology users that they’ll no longer be able to read comics on the app come December 4. Comixology is merging with the Kindle app, and users’ libraries will soon only be accessible via the latter. The move caps off the ruination of... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-11-15 21:39:11 UTC ]
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