Steam is a computer virus and the games sold via the virus have DRM

Of course it's DRM. Consider what happens if I want to buy a game that my wife and I can play at the same time.

1) Steam: must buy two copies
2) GOG: one copy suffices
3) physical copy: (usually) one copy suffices, with a bit of CD shuffling hassle at startup

Steam is clearly inferior from that standpoint, except when the sale price is so low that buying two copies from Steam is cheaper than getting it elsewhere. (It happens!)

Steam is a good service. Gametap used to be a good service before they went browser based.

However, given the choice of paying $10 on Steam or on here for the same title, GoG is going to win hands down every time...just because it's MINE after I pay for it, and I don't have to keep GoG running to play it.

I don't mind Steam as a DRM.

It's a very well designed system, the fact that the store, launcher, community (and friends) and server browsing are all within the one client makes it a tidy package that I don't resent starting for the purpose of playing my games.

That said, ideally every online distribution system would work like (or include the option to work like) GOG :)

I find that highly unlikely, for two reasons:

1. They could do it for Valve games, but I doubt they have the right to do it for any other games they distribute.

2. If Valve went bankrupt then the creditors would want to sell off the assets to get their money back, and Steam would be one of their largest assets; for Valve to effectively devalue it by removing Steam checks from games if they knew they were going bankrupt might well be illegal. I believe there are various restrictions on what companies on the verge of bankruptcy can do with their assets in the UK and presume that US law would be similar,,, otherwise companies could give away everything they own the day before they go bust.

Steam is certainly DRM, but there are many Valve fans have been so stricken with the love of Valve games that they have convinced themselves that anything that Valve does must be in the greater good - in this case - that Steam's 'soft DRM' is not DRM at all.

I also agree that in the case of Steam permanently shutting down it is unlikely that Valve will patch all the games on the service (except for their own). I highly doubt that some of these publishers signed an agreement allowing all of their new games to 'free floaters' on the internet. It is just another fantasy scenario many Valve fans have convinced themselves into believing.

Conclusion: Steam may be the one of the best download platforms for new games, because its DRM is soft (unlimited installs, offline mode after online verification), but it still reinforces rights protection (logins, online verification on fresh install). GOG by contrast has none of these downsides (and therefore absolutely zero DRM).

DRM appears to mostly upset people who seem intent on not paying for their right to play game anyway.... you know... the ones that gave digital goods companies a reason to invent and use it in the first place . Retarded DRM like 3 installs max upsets the rest. Me Included. You can't really get angry at a business for wanting to protect it's business, but you can if they decide to cunts about it.. EA anyone?

But for the reason Steam doesn't bother me at all. I have purchased the rights to play many games on it. It's simple and really all DRM needs to be. I log on (from anywhere) and play my games, cause I brought them for myself.

Plus if they go under like some people are worried about it. (But it's seriously not going to happen.. unless they pull gog stunts. tehehe) They have stated they will release a patch for steam to remove all online activation etc. If that actually happens or not.. is another thing though.

From a publishers standpoint you're wife hasn't purchased the right to play it.
A fairer example is that i have 3 computers and the right to play for example civ4, so why shouldn't i be able to play a round robin game by myself utilizing all three of my computers to enjoy the one game i have the RIGHT to enjoy. I also play Diablo II using 2 computers at once because the characters in it quite simply put are geared towards skill assists, therefore making the game itself based around multiplay.
Yes the publisher has rights over the intellectual property, but the publisher has NO RIGHTS over my property and in that, though it can be argued that software can be patented because it physically creates a product by augmenting and changing the physical hard disk it does not actually give companies said RIGHTS over what they do not own (my hard drive).
Should i be forced to unnecessarily AUGMENT MY HARDRIVE with a 3rd party application such as a subscriber agent when that is not in fact WHAT i have paid money for regardless of how 'safe' the company asserts it to be (as not being the issue here)?
The answer is no it is there because the company fears piracy and will not give you the choice to seperate the products from one anouther and get exactly what you are paying for and only what you were paying for; thus being a form of digital abuse akin to a trojan or other malware device.
Is it DRM? this hinges on it's necessity, it's transparency in being seperate yet bundled and lastly wether it is restrictive in any way shape or form on HOW you use the digital content which you have legally purchased the right to enjoy.
Steam strikes out on all three and is to be considered DRM.

Son of a mariner, that's dangerous sarcasm. People could come into this forum unawares, man!

The thing is simple. More and more the norms are changing. Industry is working hard to do it.
So people don't even recognize anymore that their freedoms are taken away. We don't notice anymore that we are monitored 24/7. We don't notice that Steam IS a DRM (though steam is still bearable imo, it is quite restrictive already by itself). Some forms of drm now require a constant net connection.... norms are changing.
Soon people won't care about drm anymore. Or at least most of the sheep won't. But people don't realize what DRM means until it is too late.
If steam died... I really don't wanna think about it. But for the sake of your argument (I didn't read it all so you might have mentioned it) - "if the steam died" - how would you play STEAM games? You cannot. Or rather, you could play offline until it pops up with "please connect to the internet for updates".. This way it is obvious that steam is drm. And also obvious is what is it's point - you don't buy stuff anymore. You LEASE stuff. For now the lease is permanent, but sooner or later this will be a history. Gradually we will have to rent everything including air. Or so the Corporations Wish.

edit: Oh ye, did I mention that sometimes Steam just decides you have to connect and update? Won't let you go offline... so it is not all that simple. Gabe was promising "fixes" if they ever go out of business so you could play everything offline. But I doubt they would be able to do that. They wouldn't be allowed to do it and also, its a lot of work.

Steam is DRM yes but It is the best DRM and user friendly. I love it, Valve rocks.

I agree that steam is a form of DRM, but I have no problem with it.

Steam is DRM as SecurROM is DRM too. The important feature is the online activation which happens with Steam for each installation and each update. I don't care where the online activation cames from, its always the same principle and therefore all those DRMs are kind of equivalent.
Somebody else can control, if or if not I am playing. Don't want that. Therefore skipping Steam, prefering GOG.
Simple disc checks or guaranteed playing time (be reminded that Steam doesn't guarantee anything) is tolerable though but only at lower prices.

off topic: @Endlessknight, I took the picture from the IT crowd website (the explore the set thing), I've never been able to find a source for it.
I'll attach the screenshot I took from there to this post, if you ( or anyone else) manages to find where it's from, can you drop me an email at ckvega@gmail.com
Thank mate!

On topic: Steam is DRM, but its not terrible DRM. GoG isn't DRM but you do actually have to download them if you wanna play them xD