Software Activation

Originally blogged under GameTomorrow: Industry News by Casey S. Potenzone on Friday 28 July 2006 at 6:18 pm

I work on a lesser appreciated side of the software and gaming world, one that many of you might not be too fond of. My responsibilities as CIO of Uniloc are to oversee the development and innovation of new technologies within our softANCHOR and netANCHOR product lines. Our softANCHOR product line is one that many of you will have opinions on, and this is the purpose of my first posting: What do you think of software activation?

I’m sure you’ve all seen Microsoft’s “voluntary” genuine advantage program and many of you may also be familiar with flamings such as the one Starforce received from Ubisoft. But what are you thoughts on software and game publishers taking a fair-use approach to licensing their content?

Have software publishers become the new RIIA treating customers as pirates and suing for reparations? Are they justified in protecting their IP with limiting activation and licensing rules? Or do you believe there is a fair balance to be struck, one that both gamers and publishers can live with?

I’ll be checking in regularly and I look forward to your comments.