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Hi GOG, long time customer here

Maybe I am not as vocal as some, but I have a something to say now, so I'll make it as open as possible. I want to make this post as an open critique, so let's get the good stuff out of the way first, so we can concentrate on the bad and the ugly.

THE GOOD

I love this site, I love it to a point that I bought my games almost exclusive through GOG in past 3 years. You continue to bring DRM free titles for us to purchase and that is awesome. And believe it or not, that's about it. That is only good thing I can think of at this very moment, it is a very good thing, but the only one. Your last sneaky announcement about galaxy being sneaked into installers made me sad, because it was the first time I felt like something is being really forced on me on GOG. I didn't mind grey site change, I don't love, but do understand the need for regional pricing, I don't mind galaxy but I do not like the way you are trying to 'force' it at all.

And yes I really do love GOG, I am a true fan, my actions can sometimes even be described as fanboyish (preaching to friends about DRM free games, and how GOG promotes it). And because I love this site so much is exactly the reasons why I am writing this. You are heading down the dangerous path, you are losing trust of your customers. I for one, would not like for that to happen, because I still believe in your core values. I still believe that some of you believe in them. Don't fool yourself, you are loosing trust, it IS happening. I've narrowed my concerns down to three problems, so let's get hammering.

THE BAD

Problem:
You don't respond to your customers concerns as you used to. Your business has grown, I understand that, and with that it becomes more difficult to maintain that loving relationship with customers. You still do respond I know, but almost exclusive after some shitstorm has already happened. It makes us (customers) feel like interacting with every other company out there, through walls and walls of smokescreens by marketing and PR.

Solution:
Be less reactive and more proactive when addressing your customers concerns. Don't wait for shitstorms to happen, prevent them by at least acknowledging the issues.

Problem:
The term 'DRM' or 'DRM free' is not universally agreed upon, and while here [https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/212181769-So-what-s-with-this-DRM-thing-] you clearly state that we 'won't find any DRMs or other intrusive copy protection in items available at GOG.com', intrusive copy protection is subjective term. To some it means that they can play their games in a singleplayer offline, others extend that to a multiplayer portion of the game too. It has spawned many discussions which potentially hurt your reputation.

Solution:
Update your FAQ and clearly state what DRM free means to you. I personally don't consider any kind of authentication for multiplayer to be DRM, but that is beside the point. The point is that everyone should know what you mean by term 'DRM free', so they can adjust their expectations to as what kind of content you are delivering.

i.e. 'we consider DRM to be any form of authentication that in a case of authentication system failure prevents the player from playing his game in a single player mode'

THE UGLY

Problem:
Galaxy is an optional client I get that, I don't mind it, I am using it, but being optional is not good enough. With your last decision you will make it intrusive [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusiveness], and intrusive is as bad as mandatory, and all that under some lame excuse that it is friendly to new customers. You have made galaxy a bloatware to anyone who regularly backs up their library and bloatware is not the term you want galaxy to be associated with.

Solution:
Being optional and non intrusive is the way to go. Some say you should leave checkbox to install it unchecked by default, and that would be much better. But even better (my personal opinion) would be if you only included download link to galaxy. That way, you will not bloat installer with galaxy client.

Response (by Johny.):
and [url=https://www.gog.com/forum/general/open_letter_to_gog/post44]here
Response (by Destro):
Here

Let's get some things cleared up, shall we?

I'm not sure if this post sounds too cheesy or not, but I don't care. I have my concerns, and I openly invite anyone who agrees with me not to let this post leave the first page until we get some official commentary. Spam it with ups and +1 as much as you need to get the job done.

UPDATE 1: added response from Johny addressing Galaxy concern
UPDATE 2: added Destro's response addressing Galaxy concern
Post edited May 15, 2017 by Miljac
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Miljac: get some official commentary
Good luck with that.
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Miljac: *snip*
Okay, I want to get this out of the way first.

Good on you, at least your arent calling gog "G2A" over this. So your postive open letter is definitely a sight for sore eyes.

Now I want to say one other thing, Galaxy isnt really that intrusive, other then gwent (the only one that comes to mind) you can run your games fine without galaxy , its just if you want multiplayer for certain titles (BZ98R requires Galaxy to be active for MP iirc) so they really arent breaking the DRM free promise.

So I really dont see this packaging galaxy with installers as a breaking of that promise, you can still install your games without installing galaxy and they will run as normal too.

But at least this is some rational talking about the issue.

Doubt you will hear from gog on the issue, but I am going to give you an upvote.
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tl;dr
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Lord_Kane: ...snip
So I really dont see this packaging galaxy with installers as a breaking of that promise, you can still install your games without installing galaxy and they will run as normal too.
Yes, not a break of promise. However one question, would you then be happy if there was other things included in the installer, maybe a browser toolbar, or a system repair software - totally optional, you just need to remember to go through the menus and unselect these (and I have seen some very inventive methods of confusing the issue)?
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Lord_Kane: ...snip
So I really dont see this packaging galaxy with installers as a breaking of that promise, you can still install your games without installing galaxy and they will run as normal too.
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nightcraw1er.488: Yes, not a break of promise. However one question, would you then be happy if there was other things included in the installer, maybe a browser toolbar, or a system repair software - totally optional, you just need to remember to go through the menus and unselect these (and I have seen some very inventive methods of confusing the issue)?
Yeah good point, I still think this is just some marketing ploy, considering the drama it has created it is probably on its way out.

its like the whole closing thing all over again....
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Miljac: *snip*
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Lord_Kane: Okay, I want to get this out of the way first.

Good on you, at least your arent calling gog "G2A" over this. So your postive open letter is definitely a sight for sore eyes.
Blurring the lines of demarcation and existing on the margins is now common to both GOG and G2A.

Please don't shit on me because I value honesty more than you do.
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Lord_Kane: Okay, I want to get this out of the way first.

Good on you, at least your arent calling gog "G2A" over this. So your postive open letter is definitely a sight for sore eyes.
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richlind33: Blurring the lines of demarcation and existing on the margins is now common to both GOG and G2A.

Please don't shit on me because I value honesty more than you do.
I do value honesty, you just want to flamebait me, so I react and call you some name so you can march on in and claim you have an ethical higher ground.

I am not shitting on you, I just find calling GOG "G2A" a bit extreme, and you are using it because it garners extreme emotional reactions, which I dont exactly blame you for, I just find in poor taste.
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richlind33: Blurring the lines of demarcation and existing on the margins is now common to both GOG and G2A.

Please don't shit on me because I value honesty more than you do.
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Lord_Kane: I do value honesty, you just want to flamebait me, so I react and call you some name so you can march on in and claim you have an ethical higher ground.

I am not shitting on you, I just find calling GOG "G2A" a bit extreme, and you are using it because it garners extreme emotional reactions, which I dont exactly blame you for, I just find in poor taste.
When did I flamebait you? The other thread? Not my intention. But I'll readily admit that I prefer bluntness over diplomacy.
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Lord_Kane: I do value honesty, you just want to flamebait me, so I react and call you some name so you can march on in and claim you have an ethical higher ground.

I am not shitting on you, I just find calling GOG "G2A" a bit extreme, and you are using it because it garners extreme emotional reactions, which I dont exactly blame you for, I just find in poor taste.
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richlind33: When did I flamebait you? The other thread? Not my intention. But I'll readily admit that I prefer bluntness over diplomacy.
1. when you were implying that I do not value honesty.
2. Good I dont mind that you do, hell I like a good debate, its better for the soul.

don't take it I hate you for your opinion, like I cant, I don't know you as a person, and we all act differently online then off.
I just dislike it.

Too many people hate people for having an opinion.
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richlind33: When did I flamebait you? The other thread? Not my intention. But I'll readily admit that I prefer bluntness over diplomacy.
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Lord_Kane: 1. when you were implying that I do not value honesty.
2. Good I dont mind that you do, hell I like a good debate, its better for the soul.

don't take it I hate you for your opinion, like I cant, I don't know you as a person, and we all act differently online then off.
I just dislike it.

Too many people hate people for having an opinion.
It's all good, m8. And maybe we're both right. ;p
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Lord_Kane: 1. when you were implying that I do not value honesty.
2. Good I dont mind that you do, hell I like a good debate, its better for the soul.

don't take it I hate you for your opinion, like I cant, I don't know you as a person, and we all act differently online then off.
I just dislike it.

Too many people hate people for having an opinion.
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richlind33: It's all good, m8. And maybe we're both right. ;p
who the fuck knows, the world is weird.
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richlind33: It's all good, m8. And maybe we're both right. ;p
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Lord_Kane: who the fuck knows, the world is weird.
One day it's boring and mundane, and the next it's like a page out of Naked Lunch. o.O
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Miljac: ...
Very good letter and I wholly support it. Let's hope someone in the management level of GOG reads it too and takes it to heart. It's unlikely, I know, but I still hope.
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Lord_Kane: who the fuck knows, the world is weird.
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richlind33: One day it's boring and mundane, and the next it's like a page out of Naked Lunch. o.O
I'd rather not recall that movie.