Starforce

[bhodikhan]

It would seem the creators of STARFORCE don't like people stating the truth about their crapware. Over at boingboing.net they're attracting the wrath of the StarForce overlords.


from http://www.boingboing.net



From: "Dennis Zhidkov" <denis.zhidkov@star-force.com>
Date: January 31, 2006 9:55:40 AM BST
To: "doctorow@craphound.com" <doctorow@craphound.com>
Subject: StarForce Response to Cory Doctorow

StarForce Inc. response to Mr. Cory Doctorow 

Dear Sir, calling StarForce "Anti-copying malware" is a good enough cause to press charges and that is what our corporate lawyer is busy doing right now. I urge you to remove your post from http://www.boingboing.net/2006/01/30/anticopying_malware_.html because it is full of insults, lies, false accusations and rumors. Your article violates approximately 11 international laws. Our USlawyer will contact you shortly. I have also contacted the FBI , because what you are doing is harassment.

Sincerely,
Dennis Zhidkov
PR-manager
StarForce Inc.
www.star-force.com

[MrHat]

Some industrious hacker should just write a damn virus that piggy backs starforce then tell Symantec or something.

[Sky]

Wow, that PR Manager sounds like a douchebag. Great public relation!

[Lt.Dan]

I call fake - that PR manager writes like a petulant 12 year old girl.

[Viin]

Welcome to Corporate Communications 101.

[HaemishM]

Starforce can suck my left nut.

[Sky]

Then how would you uninstall it from your colon?

[HaemishM]

I have a special procedure for that. It involves lots of bran.

[shiznitz]

Starforce can suck my left nut.

Once it starts sucking, it never stops.

[schild]

I call fake - that PR manager writes like a petulant 12 year old girl.

Or an eastern european.

/rimshot.

[Flashman]

I call fake - that PR manager writes like a petulant 12 year old girl.

He's real. It's typical of their attitude. In their mind the guy that makes 300000 pirated copies of software in China = you making a backup of your game or just wanting to play without the CD in the drive. You're both filthy pirates.

They have a $10,000 prize if you can prove Starforce can ruin computer.
http://www.star-force.com/protection.phtml?c=261&id=707

[Sky]

Being a pain in the customer's ass and a security risk isn't /ruining/ a computer. It's just a lousy way to do business, but that seems to be their MO.

[Ironwood]

Being a pain in the customer's ass and a security risk isn't /ruining/ a computer. It's just a lousy way to do business, but that seems to be their MO.

Bear in mind that as far as they're concerned, YOU'RE not the customer.

[schild]

If Starforce is on the PC version of Resident Evil 4 published by UBISoft, I'm going to start taking action. Those frenchie bastards have it coming.

[Krakrok]

I refuse to buy or play any game locked up by Starforce or similar software. Incidently if you have a website, link to the Boycott Starforce website (notice the link emphasis) for a good time.

[Ironwood]

Apparently x3 was.

Didn't notice till after install.

[schild]

That website is misleading. Neither Still Life nor Obscure had Starforce far as I could tell. Hell, Fabricated reviewed Still Life, he might have starforce on his computer RIGHT NOW. Har. Also - Area 51, Freedom Force 2, Sudeki, Silent Storm, Scrapland, and XIII did not have Starforce in America.

Needless to say, that website hurts as much as it helps.

[Fabricated]

As far as I could tell Still Life did NOT have Starforce.

However, The Third Reich did. I dd not play the Third Reich for long after noticing.

[Krakrok]

Tell them, not me. Another site with similar list of games has some labeled "only European versions" and "German version" so it's possible StarForce is only on certain games in specific regions. Desert Rats vs Afrika Korps does have it and I didn't install it because of it. I'm pretty sure it told me right up front in the install process that it was locked by Starforce.

[Morfiend]

I refuse to buy or play any game locked up by Starforce or similar software. Incidently if you have a website, link to the Boycott Starforce website (notice the link emphasis) for a good time.

Same. Fuck them.

[Big Gulp]

Spread the word far and wide, brothers and sisters.  Given enough public outrage and a corresponding dip in sales for Starforce games companies will have no choice but to wash their hands of this bullshit.

[Velorath]

They have a $10,000 prize if you can prove Starforce can ruin computer.
http://www.star-force.com/protection.phtml?c=261&id=707

Actually it's a $10,000 prize if you go down to their office in Moscow and reproduce a particular DVD/CD writer malfunction.  So they set up a contest they knew nobody would have the time or money to attempt, and then use the fact that nobody is attempting it as "proof" that there must really not be a problem.

[Trippy]

They have a $10,000 prize if you can prove Starforce can ruin computer.
http://www.star-force.com/protection.phtml?c=261&id=707

Actually it's a $10,000 prize if you go down to their office in Moscow and reproduce a particular DVD/CD writer malfunction.  So they set up a contest they knew nobody would have the time or money to attempt, and then use the fact that nobody is attempting it as "proof" that there must really not be a problem.

It's even worse than that. If you read the fine print you had to prove (the contest is over now) that Starforce *physically* damaged your DVD/CD drive -- not simply that it messed up the drive (e.g. messed up the burning abilities, a very common and reproducable complaint). In other words the contest was setup so there was no way they could lose (only the most frothing at the mouth anti-Starforce people ever claimed Starforce damaged the physical hardware) and was simply designed as a PR stunt.

http://www.star-force.com/gloss.phtml?c=272

- After this demonstration the subject Drive must be removed from the subject PC and installed into any other computer that has no StarForce protected products or drivers installed, that has a legal version of operational system and has no third company products installed. StarForce experts have full access to the subject PC for verification of installed software.

[Krakrok]

Reminds me of the SDMI Challenge.

"Come crack our uncrackable DRM! =)"

"Fuck, you cracked it. :("

[NiX]

He's real. It's typical of their attitude. In their mind the guy that makes 300000 pirated copies of software in China = you making a backup of your game or just wanting to play without the CD in the drive. You're both filthy pirates.

They have a $10,000 prize if you can prove Starforce can ruin computer.
http://www.star-force.com/protection.phtml?c=261&id=707

Does it breaking EVERY MMO I have on my computer count? Cause, that shouldn't happen.

[Righ]

Please also note that some games may not have had StarForce in them during their inital release, but that subsequent re-issues may have.

I'm going to boycott all products by companies that use StarForce, not just specific games.

[schild]

I'm going to boycott all products by companies that use StarForce, not just specific games.

I am incapable of boycotting UBISoft. They make Splinter Cell, I can only hope they stop what they're doing.

[Righ]

I appreciate that its not reasonable for everybody to go that far. Some folks might even find it necessary to play the malware infected games. As long as you make your contempt for these motherfuckers known, you're on the side of the righteous and just.

[Sky]

Maybe you could just kill a hooker and carve Starforce into her abdomen. That'll show 'em!

There's a pc version of RE4 in the works? I'm glad I held off on that one, then!

[Ironwood]

The Playstation version is great.

[Sky]

I'd put Starforce on my pc before I'd spend money on a playstation. PS3, perhaps, but not that other LCD garbage.

[Shockeye]

I'd put Starforce on my pc before I'd spend money on a playstation.

Ass.

[HaemishM]

Yes, Ubisoft is apparently releasing RE4, Onimusha 3 and Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening for the PC this year. Onimusha is the first one in February this year.

Motherfuckers put Starforce on RE4 and they're "DEAD TO ME."

[WayAbvPar]

Please also note that some games may not have had StarForce in them during their inital release, but that subsequent re-issues may have.

I'm going to boycott all products by companies that use StarForce, not just specific games.

I think this is a good way to go. We (meaning someone who isn't me) should compile a list of publishers and games that we can update. We can even sticky it for added fun.

[Hoax]

Did anyone else catch that the "contest" originally only was for $1,000?

After ten days into the contest we’ve had a lot of visitors at our website and only one unconfirmed application.
This makes us even more confident that the opinion about StarForce drivers damaging optical drives is nothing but a rumor.

We want to end these rumors and so StarForce is raising the prize money from $1000 to $10 000. We are waiting for your applications!

Hah only one person hated us enough to try to break his computer for $1000!  wewt!