Did you download the demo to play Bioshock on your PC? You have a rootkit on your computer.
Did you buy the game and play Bioshock on your PC? You have a rootkit on your computer.
In a profound display of corporate stupidity, Sony (owns SecureROM) has reverted to their old DRM tricks. This is all in an effort to make sure that you can only install Bioshock on 2 computers (okay maybe 5 if the patch works as released).
The limit on being able to install Bioshock on two computers is a means the publisher is using to try to keep a lid on alleged piracy. The problem being that if you uninstall Bioshock from a computer, it doesn't free up a license to move to a third computer. This means that upgrades, rebuilds, or moving the game are problematic at best.
So nobody is going to find this stuff? Nobody is supposed to be able to repackage the game if they wanted to crack it anyway? Who are they trying to kid (besides the board of directors and stockholders)?
This limit was the original grief much blogged (twitchguru.com) this week. So two really big black eyes on Sony, SecureROM, and by extension Microsoft for a PC game release that arbitrarily inhibits user rights to move the game license and also installs a rootkit of unknown resources on your computer.
Sadly, this reflects badly on a game that is a superlative effort by the developers who really ought to be rewarded instead of punished by the techies for the release going so badly.
This link has instructions (long and techy) to remove the rootkit from your computer. So what's a rootkit? A rootkit is a set of software tools intended to conceal running processes, files or system data from the operating system. (wikipedia.org) A rootkit can easily be used for nefarious purposes, and use of a rootkit is suspect at best.
So if you've been waiting for Bioshock, you may be best advised to get the XBox version unless you'll only ever install it on one or two PCs, and you don't mind somebody's spyware on your hard drive.
If I bought the game, I'm a customer, not a culprit. I resent being treated as such. At this point, I'm glad I didn't splurge just yet. Good luck.
3 comments:
I though Sony learn their lesson the last time they had the pants sued off of them for putting rootkits in "copy protected" CD's.
I'm sure who ever bought and installed this game will have another class action lawsuit to fall back on.
The last time it was rootkits on music CD's. There have always been stupid copy protections out. I hate the fact that I have to install 2 Gigs of information to a hard drive, yet I still have to keep the dvd/cd in the drive. I believe if I have to keep the disc in there, I shouldn't have to install jack shit.
The thing about it is that it doesn't stop pirates who want the games. It only hurts the people who buy the game legitimately, and can't use the software the way they need to.
If pirates want the game, they will get it.
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