When half life 2 was released, they sold it through the normal tyrant publishing houses, and online. This online sales / authentication system is called Steam. This is all fine and dandy, but for one to play Half-life 2 (or other games using steam) it requires authentication with the steam service, even for single player mode. A lot of people hated it then for fair use and privacy issues, but even more people hate it now.

Why? Because the what if scenario that the fair use crowed happened. The “What if the Valve Steam servers went down?” When this happens(ed), people can not play their purchased games. What is really funny, because of this, people who didn't pay, or applied cracks to these games, can play. So, for a better quality game, you are now suppose to pirate it?

Now, let me summarize what is being said Valve (or anyone else) should not be allowed to sell you something and then claim that you don't actually have any rights to use it. And that all these copy protection scheems only hurt the legit user who bought the product.

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Steam comes out of Half Life 2 players' ears
My opinion about Steam? It simply sucks

1/31/05 :: Goof