Nowadays, it's all just semantics. Any modern Apple computer has as much in common with an original IBM Personal Computer as any other (=not much anymore).
While most people refer to computers running Windows or Linux when they say "PC"; even most smartphones are more capable personal computers than any original IBM PC ever was. Me, I use my Android device for very specific purposes. My general purpose personal computer is a Windows desktop one (better interface/display/software/more control).
I can understand why people in poorer countries or less tech savvy people use their phone as their main computing device. Personally, I don't care for it. e.g. why do online banking on a mobile device if you can do it with keyboard/mouse and a big screen, at home?

Anyway... OT: GOG, Epic... I don't know what's left to be said. Epic doesn't have any game for sale that I want, that's not on GOG.

I haven't seen Zoom Platform before, but they look good. They seem to have some decent games: Duke Nukem 3D, Jagged Alliance 2, Aliens vs Predator, among others (Shadow Tactics). I can't see anything relating to a DRM-free policy mentioned anywhere though. So, presumably they work exclusively on offline installers?

I am fast losing faith with GOG, following this unfortunate deal with Epic and their failure to take action with No Man's Sky. I will sign up with Zoom Platform; buy some things from them and keep an eye on them in future. They seem to be worth supporting.

How about "involuntary" extension of a one finger? :P :D

Never say never. Don't EVER give up on your ideals and visions.
We can't just "let things go". We live in a world in which we have to actively fight for our ideals to achieve them.
So, please, never give up.

It may be that my router is more powerful than the computer in question (I have no ordinary network equipment). But performance has nothing to do with the definition of the apparatus in question.
Tho I would debate about your usage of "not much in common between current computers and original IBM pc".
I would say you are wrong and it once again comes into semantics.
You see, the description for an IBM PC is rather specific, or should I say "there is limited amount of things that IBM PC had and current computers have all or almost all of those things" (and it doesn't matter that they add MORE).
I would also put strict unbreachable wall between MACs and PCs.
It's terribly obvious now that Apple products are aiming to be a definition of a walled garden and going as far as using hardware chips to prevent specific things to achieve that.

Oh, they did much worse than failed to take action. That would have been bad, but could perhaps be partially excused somehow (lack of manpower to tackle the issue untill later for example). But no, they either

a) deliberately didn't take action and straight up lied to us that they are taking it
b) took action and failed miserably at it because the devs don't care and GOG lacks the ability or will to enforce their supposed policy (possibly due to the Epic deal already exposing their lack of concern with their former principles)

either way, what was initially a relatively small issue has exposed GOG as utterly untrustworthy. What's bonkers to me is that it seems to bother maybe four people on the forum, while it should be a PR disaster. I guess their policy of tiring people out to the point of indifference paid off.

But the thing is, if they would have STRICT NO DRM policy in a CONTRACT (signed with a publisher / developer) then they could easily enforce it - the - "if you forfeit your complaince then get out" trope.

What do you want or expect people to do?

Honestly, I don't know. I'm not trying to form a mob, I'm just saying it's bizarre to see how in the end GOG's last and arguably most important core principle goes out with bearly a grumble, and that's despite GOG handling it with all the PR charm and skill of a fart, isn't it?

Not necessarily, since GOG's store is still single-player DRM-free, except for the No Man's Sky issue apparently; I can understand people raising more of a ruckus over that, but I'm also willing to understand GOG not having the leverage to tell the NMS devs to fix it if it's complex to do + the game still selling well so GOG has to be careful if that income source could cause even more issues for them.

But I never viewed GOG as this, like, Savior of DRM-Free Gaming/Knight in Shining Armor if you will, but I guess I did once view them as Savior of Old Games/Preservation at one point :P But I mostly got other that and am willing to just view them as a business basically, not hardcore attached to what they do but appreciating them as a competitor to Steam.

Epic-wise, bigger issue for me would be GOG having devote resources to handle Epic Games support for games. I'm surprised the portion of sales money they receive through Galaxy purchases is actually worth it.

My suggestion (for whoever sees this, if it relates to them) would be don't necessarily buy games just to support DRM-free or thinking you're fighting a crusade for DRM-free*, buy ones you want to play; and back them up so the future of your content isn't in GOG's hands. If GOG store goes DRM, you can bail out for good with your games backed up.

*unless perhaps a store pops up that explicitly says their goal is to fight for DRM-free, 100% focus on that.

Their fart is so successfull because it's a stealth one.
After all it's pretty likely most GOG users are still oblivious about this whole debacle.
We can only speculate what would happen if EVERYBODY would get a clear sight.
But we cannot deny that GOG DID push this info silently under the radar to reduce collateral damage.

Excuse me, it's their store, GOG has ALL the neccessary power to shove a boot up their a** if they misbehave.

It's all great and all, but we are in a process of discovering that GOG apparently cannot live up even to their very specific promise FROM THEIR TOS that they will provide offline installers indefinitely ("Galaxy is and ALWAYS WILL BE optional").
There are many known cases where Galaxy gets newer version than offline installer one, offline installer is broken or there are other issues.
So it's ALREADY the "time to bail out because quality of the platform is rapidly approaching graveyard" scenario.

I don't mean to be disrecpectful by forcibly reminding you but that is SPECIFICLY what GOG *POSED* to be - remember the whole "fck drm" initiative started by them specificly?

If GOG does not have leverage over Hello Games, it is because they have thrown said leverage away by being willing to sell DRM'd games over Galaxy. Imagine someone coming to you and telling you to stop doing a thing while they themselves are doing exactly that thing, it makes them look like arrogant hypocrits. Why should Hello Games comply when GOG themselves don't?

Also the solution to the DRM'd content in NMS is actually bonehead simple, there's nothing complex or interwoven with the online SP content, it's simply in game items being blocked by an arbitrary connection to the internet and could easily be fixed if anyone cared to.

Both parties are just as bad as each other here and it paints a grim future for GOG.

I take it these games don't come with a DRM-free installer and won't run without a client. Which would be a betrayal of the no-DRM promise. As is Gwent, but we all know that's a dirty little cashgrab that needs to be online anyway. Selling games that aren't multiplayer-only without an offline installer and requiring the use of a client is a disturbing new low for GOG afaik.

Most of the Games on Epic Store are DRM free anyway. Full list here > https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games_on_Epic_Games_Store. DRM is not in question.

Point is the more Publishers and developers come on board to GOG the better. EA approached GOG directly to have their games here, not the other way around. Now that the major players are here, everyone else will want to jump as well.

I actually think of it as a positive thing.GOG Galaxy consolidates all launchers into one so GOG already has consent to use EPic's API's so why not a full partnership?

RV

Raise an outcry and force GOG to reconsider their position. Stop buying here until they return to their 'principles'. That worked in the past. Whenever GOG tried to violate their own pretended 'DRM-free' ideal (like their backhanded attempt to push Galaxy on everyone), there was an outcry that made GOG row back. But from case to case the outcries got smaller - so GOG's calculated strategy of attrition worked. Erode the fight for DRM-free bit by bit, until they get away with DRM in single-player games.

By now we have reached a state where Support, when told about DRM in single player games, just sends a 'no comment' statement and closes the ticket as 'solved'. That is cynical and shows, that DRM is not considered a problem by GOG. They are, quite officially, not willing to do anything about DRM in the games they sell.

That should be a big thing and should lead to a huge outcry - but there is hardly anything. Problably most of the DRM-free idealists already left long ago and people like Breja and I just are part of a small remnant of DRM-free enthusiasts. Times change. GOG, sadly, did so for the worse.

I'm sorry, your wording is slightly confusing.
So then my point is incorrect or what?

Also, even if it's "just" marketing - it's pretty clear that it's intended behaviour leveraged to make people THINK that this is indeed how GOG *wants* to be. Apparently it was all false advertising (let's just start calling it by name shall we?).

Please...
By that definition there is A WHOLE LOT of DRM free games ON STEAM.
If the game is DRM free AFTER INSTALLING through a LAUNCHER then that is NOT actually a TRUE DRM free.

I'm not going to even bother to explain if YOU cannot be bothered to read this entire thread and NOTICE already made solid points about the matter in question.
I don't like repeating myself and I think others in this thread would eventually develop vial when repeatedly approached by people who cannot be bothered to go check this thread for already existing points that were made.
Please, just go read the thread.

Count me in :)

After I discovered this thread I froze all my planned and unplanned purchases on GOG indefinitely.
Honestly, after I discovered this whole shebang I am in the process of pulling out of this platform (well I have to make a RAW backup first and that's going to take "SOME" time considering my internet is uber crap).

Perhaps you haven't perosonally noticed, or perhaps you did, I don't know, but I will say it for the sake of others that didn't:
In such case by most countries' laws you can warrant a refund, and if not then a chargeback, based on fraud protection laws (products here are EXPLICITLY ADVERTISED as DRM FREE, which means if for example NMS has DRM it's a CLEAR CASE of FALSE ADVERTISING, therefore a fraud).