Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by nradov 4 hours ago
Legal rights don't matter if the other party is ever liquidated, or otherwise unable to meet their obligations.
3 comments

If gog.com went away tomorrow, downloaded games and installers should be copyable to another PC relatively easily (so far this has worked 100% for me at least).

I'm not sure how easy it will be to copy downloaded games to another PS3 once Sony pulls the plug on the PSN store (and likely PSN login) for PS3 next year.

I’ve run into several games that will not launch at all of you don’t have galaxy or galaxy has no internet.
Interesting - I have (fortunately) not run into these issues (yet), but found a list (with specifics) at https://www.gog.com/forum/general/drm_on_gog_list_of_singlep...

Most of the listed games seem to be playable but with some content locked behind DRM, galaxy, or online connectivity.

Overall it does seem like they are trying to live up to their DRM-free claim/promise, but it looks like there are still a few annoying exceptions.

Yeah overall very happy with it. I think those games that fail to launch are more just bad code more than anything.

Edit: looks like a couple of my games that had issues have been patched, nice. Thanks for that link.

I have one game, (Lego Lord of the Rings) which won't launch, but it was an impulse purchase on sale, and I am no longer on vacation and stuck at my mother-in-law's, so haven't investigated beyond an unanswered (last I checked) forum post.
This is just straight up false. Laws don't cease to exist because of a liquidation. Legal rights absolutely matter in the event of a liquidation, and will be part of any liquidation process.

For example, if there was a law that the entire source code (including server code) should be immediately put into public domain if the game maker is unable to meet their obligation of serving up the game due to liquidation, then the release of the source code would be a legally sanctioned part of the liquidation process.

This is just straight up false. Apparently you don't understand bankruptcy law. Courts will prioritize the interests of creditors first.

And the notion of a law requiring source code to be released in the public domain is so stupid. The source code is an asset which can potentially be sold to benefit creditors. And often the source code contains IP owned by third parties who wouldn't allow a release anyway.

The law is what the people say it is. As the previous generation that created this system dies their successors can repeal eternal copyright laws and institute consumer protections again. e.g. we can demand source escrow to receive copyright (with a short grace period for current copyright holders to register/set up escrow), drastically shorten the period, demand copyrighted material continue to be made available or you lose your monopoly, etc. Or just abolish the whole system, which might completely lose its purpose if AI continues to improve. Actually companies might be doing this themselves on accident by using AI to generate assets, making them ineligible for copyright.

All it takes is for young people to decide that they actually don't think they should have to pay a subscription to e.g. listen to music that came out when their dead great grandparents were kids or that they should have no rights to own anything ever.

The same people whose student loans couldn't be discharged in bankruptcy could I'm sure consider the idea that companies' obligations to them can't be either.

I wish them luck. I won’t hold my breath.
And just like that, you're part of the problem