Maybe, if you really include everything, including manual keyword checks of ancient DOS games, into the DRM umbrella term.

For those to whom DRM means having to activate a game online to an authentication server before you can install/play it (ie. you are dependant on the existence of some central authentication servers by the game's IP rights holder), GOG games are very much DRM-free, because none of them require that.

Yet, I don't see those "some people" going to the "DRM-free games on Steam" discussion to inform the author that the Steam games in his list are not really DRM-free because their multiplayer component might still require even online activation to a central authentication server.

http://www.gog.com/forum/general/list_of_drmfree_games_on_steam/page1

I guess they also consider the Steam games on that list DRM-free because it supports their own agenda. But when a GOG game has a multiplayer CD key, these same people yelp and complain that the game cannot be called DRM-free.

Sounds like a troll, smells like a troll... must be a fisherman, trolling.

I, on the other hand, have no argument calling the games in that Steam list DRM-free, if they really work as suggested (ie. after the initial download, they can be freely copied to another PC and the single-player part works there without further actions or activations).

In Geman-speaking countries we have the "Unword of the Year Award". If this existed for English too, I think the Unword of 2012 should be "entitled" (or "Entitlement").

Probably because there's generally no discussion about that.

Not to mention you normally talk to people on the level they are talking about. When calling the Steam games DRM free that's usually talking to people who as you mentioned above 'consider single player DRM free = DRM free'. There's no point in bringing up the CD-key thing in that situation because they are already holding GOG up as the standard they want and that part is already part of that standard.

When talking about specifics of DRM-free, and in a discussion of the term itself however, it very much makes sense to mention in what way something is actually still DRM or not.

Anyway, I guess with this attempt at diverting the topic towards me and my posting habits this means you ran out of things to say on the original topic of THQ and GOG both having had their indiscretions?

+1

DRM is any kind of software that manages your games/software and access to it. There is a difference between DRM and good ol' copy protection. Not all copy protection schemes are also DRM. If there are no account or authentication or the like invovled then it is not DRM.

I forgot how much fun CoH was... Damn. Great game!

I wonder if CoH 2 will feature a German campaign. I hope not.

All I can say is that this thread has made me feel disappointed about a bunch of folks.

That's what she said!

Well you should be disappointed by the Humble Bundle guys. They have done "the polar opposite of what the humble bundle is about!" to quote them.

Holy crap, you work for a video games retailer! THQ on GOG confirmed! They'll have TAGES, though.

I still haven't tried even though my 8800GT came with a copy in 2008 and I actually bought it on a Steam sale and now I received my 3rd copy (altough technically on steam I only have one anyway but I received the expansions too). :(

No they haven't.

This is a Humble Bundle.

Not an Humble indie Bundle.

You might find that a superficial difference, but is is a lot more different than just a name. They humble guys at DRM'd games on their "store" before, so that is not new.

The humble guys are opening themselves up to new venues. The Humble Indie Bundles will remain as usual.
It is probably still the second best RTS on the market. I like Starcraft 2 more because it has a better Single Player experience. But that is comparing on a very high level...

Look at the picture I attached to my post. He does not mention the word "indie" once in there.

Edit:

Also their Facebook page says: "We bundle awesome cross-platform games, movies, music, and books."

Again without mentioning anything about "indie". These are the principles of Humble Bundle Inc. This is why I and many others supported them. This was their major selling point. GOG is DRM free but (until recently with regard to Mac and still with Linux) not cross-platform.

The Humble Bundle guys were priding themselves on that DRM free, cross-platform combo(as evidenced for example in that attachement and the description of their FB page) and a lot of people were supporting the bundles just for that reason. Hence Linux gamers having higher averages than the rest, even twice as high. You can see this support expressed in a bunch of Linux centric parts of the web as well.

Now they are shitting on those principles with glee. The result will make it much much much harder for them setting up a HIB under the old principles since otherwise fence sitting developers will never sign up for that now. So all the awesome DRM free and Linux(and often Mac as well) debuts will stop. Meaning fewer DRM free and Linux games. It will of course hurt GOG as well since AAA's may well stop signing up for the service. GOG has mentioned that they have a top three wishlist of signing up Microsoft, Lucasarts and Take Two. The chances of that happening just got sliced in half at best.