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Kudos to impulse, we love it! and don't let the tin foils put you off!

By on August 10, 2008 6:54:13 PM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums

I am seeing thread after thread of people claiming to hate impulse, mostly via wild tin foil hat theories such as "impulse COULD be spyware even if it everyone insists it isn't" or "impulse COULD potenatially be DRM even though it isn't" with about as much logic and science as the radio brainwashing theories.

So. Here is a thread for people to give a shout out to our friends at SDC and remind them those are just some few weirdoes. Chime in and let stardock know you love impulse.

I love impulse!

+56 Karma | 109 Replies
August 15, 2008 12:50:21 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
Heavens...I spent eventually more time enhancing the game through these 'expansions' than I actually did playing the thing...



Jafo,

The sign of a true gamer. I hear ya, and have modded-more-than-played in many of the games on my bookshelves....so rewarding modding is.


August 15, 2008 3:20:32 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
The sign of a true gamer. I hear ya, and have modded-more-than-played in many of the games on my bookshelves....so rewarding modding is.

And I'll bet for you both that even more time has been spent helping others. (Or at least on the forums.)
August 15, 2008 6:51:15 AM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums
I love impulse!


So do I. It's a great idea!

I love impulse!
August 15, 2008 10:39:08 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums
I simply enjoy Impulse and the negative comments. I get a kick out them. I have not come across any of the problems that are in the forums, except in the beginning (beta bugs I believe). Although the ability to save the skin changes would be a plus.
August 15, 2008 11:18:11 AM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums
I like Impulse too

And anyone who's heard me rant on IRC about SDC knows about my relationship with that program and my lack of fanboyism towards anything in particular ( well except for my ObjectDock Plus fetish )

You can track my IP address anytime you want, I'm nowhere near Stardock , either.

August 17, 2008 4:12:47 PM from WinCustomize Forums WinCustomize Forums
I am seeing thread after thread of people claiming to hate impulse, mostly via wild tin foil hat theories such as "impulse COULD be spyware even if it everyone insists it isn't" or "impulse COULD potenatially be DRM even though it isn't" with about as much logic and science as the radio brainwashing theories.
So. Here is a thread for people to give a shout out to our friends at SDC and remind them those are just some few weirdoes. Chime in and let stardock know you love impulse.
I love impulse!


Of course impulse has DRM, do you even know what DRM is? Its not all bad, but if someone is agianst DRM they shouldn't be using windows, period. If Impulse installed itself without the users intent then it would be spyware. I do like stardock, i just wish they were a community driven org so the stuff would be free as in liberty AND free beer.
August 17, 2008 6:21:21 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums
I don't have anything much to add to the discussion here, just voicing my unconditional love for Stardock.

Your games are great, your community is civilized, and your take on DRM is admirable and brave.
August 17, 2008 9:55:04 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums
Whelp, lesse.

I dislike Steam. I didn't buy HL2 initially because of Steam. I haven't really warmed to it to this day, and only have it installed when a game I'm playing absolutely requires (last game being Portal). I like the idea of buying games digitally, it's just the whole "Steam holds my games hostage" aspect bothers me. I want my games to be separate from the download platform.

I generally liked SDC. It stayed out of my way, didn't need to be running for me to use the game, didn't do anything DRM-wise, and made it quick and easy to keep up with patches.

Impulse... I was lukewarm on. Given that the first thing I had heard about it was "it's skinnable!", my hopes weren't high. As far as I'm concerned, skinning is an OS/Shell thing, not an app thing.

*That said*, I've finally used Impulse to update Sins to the beta (yay, laptop got back!). Aside from my bias against app-skinning, I have to say that Impulse worked flawlessly. So long as Impulse never turns into a "has to be on to run my games" app and remains just a central place for me to update my games, SD has my kudos on a nice system.
August 19, 2008 9:35:30 AM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums
Of course impulse has DRM, do you even know what DRM is? Its not all bad, but if someone is agianst DRM they shouldn't be using windows, period. If Impulse installed itself without the users intent then it would be spyware. I do like stardock, i just wish they were a community driven org so the stuff would be free as in liberty AND free beer.


If something installs itself it is a VIRUS (by definition), not spyware.
The definition of spyware is a program that spys on you, collects data about you, and transmits it somewhere.

A virus (self installing without user's consent) can be spyware, adware, vandal-ware (breaks stuff randomly), botnet, keylogger (tries to steal your credit card) or what have you not.
A lot of spyware does not install itself. It tricks a user into installing it as a bundle with free / pay software they wanted. (you COULD have paid more attention during the install process and opted out of it, or if not optional, chosen a spyware free program that doesn't require you to agree to it in the EULA).
Some spyware are viruses though.

Also, I know what DRM is. It was a fancy name for copy prevention mechanisms (it replaced "copy protection" and has recently been repalced with DMP = Digital manners policy) used to force customers into buying the same item more then once (some claim it also stops piracy, it's a lie, nothing in it's design was ever indicative of an ability to stop piracy, and several prominent CEOs addmited they wanted customers to repurchase items).
This reminds me the various names creationism was sold under, like ID and now "scientific inquiry" or something.

With impulse you are never tricked into repurchasing an item , and it has no programs / crashing mechanisms that check for media or other such things meant to keep you from copying your programs. I install my impulse games on several computers which I own.

It does have a central distribution system, which, while not as effective as an MMO's design, is structured in a way that makes piracy less practical. While there is an authentication, it is server side + custom installer. Rather then let anyone download patches and free extra content, or letting only registered users download it as a redistributeable exe. Registered users use impulse to download and install it.

In a way, it is technically a type of DRM (as in, the claimed definition, not the real definition) , just a non intrusive one, and is never intended to force you into a repurchase.
If someone goes to murder homeless for kicks and calls it "volunteering at the homeless shelter" it does not make it so. And it might create a negative enough stigma so that real home shelter volunteers might end up with a different name.
This is basically what happens with DRM.
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