Software Company Asks Users For Input On DRM; Goes Ahead And Institutes It Anyway Over Their Objections
from the by-'listening,'-we-meant-nodding-thoughtfully-while-moving-forward-with dept
Nothing does more damage more quickly to your community than deciding to place your fear of piracy over the the concerns of those who've already paid for your product. DRM is rarely, if ever, the answer. And yet, it remains an inexplicably popular "solution."
Daz 3D, which produces 3D art software as well as assets for use with third party software, has decided to do something about its perceived piracy problem. Last November, it had this to say:
[W]e feel the best way to fight piracy is make the convenience of doing something legally more so than the inconvenience of pirating. That is why we made finding, downloading, installing, and loading content in Studio as streamlined and easy as possible while making getting a pirate-able copy of the original product harder.The solution to the problem, according to Daz 3D, was to have the software "phone home" at least once to obtain a key for content/software files, which would only arrive in encrypted form. Supposedly, this would be limited to once per computer but the new, encrypted files would pose problems for existing users.
Those on older versions of Daz's software would be unable to access any new content. Transferring old data could also result in problems -- something Daz acknowledged in a later post, noting that scripts and tools might not work with unencrypted content.
At the time of the announcement, no plan was in place to provide offline users with authentication keys, nor would it be possible to purchase new content without running through Daz's "Connect" service, which not only authenticates users but "assembles" newly purchased content for use with Daz software.
Daz did the right thing and put its proposals up for discussion. This generated dozens of pages of comments, many of which were from users opposed to the addition of DRM. Some were concerned about the Daz Connect DRM breaking content they'd already paid for. Others simply didn't like being treated like pirates when they'd actually paid for software and add-ons.
Daz's representatives were active in forum discussions and very straightforward about their reasons for looking into instituting DRM. The company is hoping a few extra installation hoops and another layer of authentication would deter casual pirates, leaving them only the diehard crackers interested in "capturing" a niche "market."
The willingness to listen and participate in the discussion separates Daz from many other companies who've added DRM to their products. Unfortunately, it appears the discussion had little effect on Daz's final decision. The post may be titled "You've been heard," but the content contained in it indicates the listening was little more than a formality. Daz will be moving ahead with its original plan, despite customers making it clear they'd rather have a product that doesn't introduce compatibility problems. Nor do they want to be limited to a single distribution system. And they're less than thrilled about the "phone home" requirement.
The new post, delivered four months after the original announcement, changes nothing about the DRM structure. While it does add some fail-safe measures (like third-party escrow that will prevent users from being locked out of their purchases if Daz goes out of business), the end result is still the same. DRM is coming to Daz and there's nothing users can do about it.
Currently Daz Connect gives customers the ability to install (among other things) encrypted content. Daz Connect also lets customers retrieve a Key to decrypt their content. Customers have raised the concerns of:
What if Daz is not available to provide the keys anymore, chooses not to, or starts charging an additional fee to get a key for previously purchased content?
Solution: We have developed and fully tested a utility which will decrypt, and save in non-encrypted formats, Daz products on a customer’s computer. We are also working out details with a software escrow company who will provide this utility to the public free of charge in the event that Daz is no longer in a business position to, or is unwilling to continue offering this as a free service. This will also be added to the Daz EULA to ensure customers of our commitment to enable them to always be able to use content that they have purchased a license for.
Obviously this does not address other issues such as scripts and tools that work on un-encrypted content. But those are solved in other ways. We are working (and will continue to work) with developers who have this need, in order to show them how to do it with encrypted content.Apparently, "hearing" actually means ignoring concerns people expressed, including portability from older versions of Daz's software. And, as is nearly always the case when DRM to added to a previously DRM-free product, the company is presenting it as a win for paying customers.
Is the encryption associated with Daz Connect essentially Digital Rights Management (DRM)?So, Daz is thinking of its customers while simultaneously willing to ignore those customers to institute something it thinks will decrease piracy. While I can appreciate the fact Daz wants to protect its bottom line, it needs to be aware that instituting these new restrictions will result in actual lost sales -- something that may ultimately prove more harmful than the theoretical lost sales Daz attributes to piracy.
We strive to add great benefits to being connected while limiting the impact to the user experience. Although we have included file encryption to protect our artist community, the primary target is to provide a better experience for our users. Daz Connect delivers and updates products more efficiently but relies on the fact that files are in a location and format that is maintained by the application. In this sense, Daz Connect provides some measure of digital rights management.
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From theoretical to ensured
In attempting to 'fight' piracy they've instead made it even more likely to happen, and in an attempt to protect sales they've given potential customers a very good reason not to buy from or use their products at all.
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"...Daz Connect delivers and updates products more efficiently but relies on the fact that files are in a location and format that is maintained by the application. In this sense, Daz Connect provides some measure of digital rights management."
Strange how the question is exclusively about the encryption, but the "answer" only rambles on about the file locations, etc., without addressing the encryption outside of an offhanded mention.
Well, not strange, just the typical attempt to redirect discussion away from the actual problem. No, needing the files in a known format & location is not DRM, the encryption and phone home requirements are, and you didn't answer that question. Nice of them to pay lip service to concerns around the issue, but they can't even be honest about them within their own FAQ article.
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DAZ 3D and 3D Content DRM
One thing is for sure we will never use DRM or other piracy prevention measures in our digital products that would anger our customer base.
The sad thing is software pirates and those that user such wouldn't pay for content to begin with. With any digital product their will be some piracy (some more than others). The best way to combat it is to keep creating great content and listen to your customers / fans / etc.
You can't go wrong that way in my opinion.
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so who else smells the MPAA pushing software developers to use DRM as an anti piracy measure?
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Once upon a time, there's a company called DAZ...
DAZ is currently competing in at least two fronts, the sofware/renderer, and assets front.
In the software front, it compete directly with Poser, which is more mature, though changed hand very often. Last time I checked Poser is owned by SmithMicro. Here, although DAZ is more nimble in terms of development and tools, people is more accustomed with Poser, hence much larger market share. DAZ address this by making it's software free as of v4, but still the market share budge a little.
In the asset front, DAZ fares better, with it's Millenium models serves as standard on both DAZ and Poser. However, starting with generation 5 of it's model, DAZ tries to strong arm the market, with basing it on Genesis line. Yes there are many improvements with the Genesis line, but Poser users are locked out. IINM it took a year before the Millenium 5 became available on Poser. Hence slower market adoption for Millenium 5 models.
Now DAZ do this DRM thingy on the assets. My view is not only it will impact DAZ Studio users, but Poser as well. Has DAZ not learn the lessons of it's Genesis line? The current line is Millenium 6, which IINM is based on Genesis 2. Millenium 5 and 6 has much slower adoption rate, compared to the successful Millenium 4. With this stunt, it's adoption rate will fall very rapidly, as Poser users already jumping through hoops to use the current Millenium series, and now have to jump yet another hoop as well.
As for me, I'm counting my blessing with my block-headedness refusing to update both DAZ Studio, Genesis 1, and Millenium 4.
Seems these days in the sw/IT world,
UPDATES == EVIL
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Re:
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Not quite...
1/ Vote with their feet and use some other software
2/ Go find the inevitable crack for the software that makes the added DRM not such a problem.... i.e. pirate it.
Not sure either of those helps Daz out much though.... Gosh! Looks like the DRM might be counter-productive! Who knew?
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Since then, they'd restored model compatibility with some apps and added a somewhat Steam-like "content management" system for downloading and installing content purchased from their store. However, use of the management service was completely optional. Making the service mandatory or enforcing encryption adds nothing for the user, and takes a lot away by breaking app-compatibility again and possibility locking out unapproved mods as well. I never bothered with their content service myself, but I've actually avoided the new DRM poisoned update as I still require both!
According to the company, they've "updated" their management system to make it more user friendly. While that may be true, done of those usability improvements actually required DRM in anyway. Most of their stores customers still use 3rd-party apps. The major attraction for their content is (or at least was) the ability to easily extend it with 3rd-party addons. Their biggest sellers by far has always been the products with the most addons. I really fail to see how alienating huge blocks of their customer base is going to sell more content at all.
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Re: DAZ 3D and 3D Content DRM
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Re: Re: DAZ 3D and 3D Content DRM
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Re: Re:
MPAA: We need you to use this DRM scheme.
Daz: Hmm, this'll break old versions and cause all sorts of other problems for our users. We need to reach out to our users to minimize the impacts this'll have on them.
Users: DRM sucks and you shouldn't do it, and you certainly shouldn't do it like this.
Daz: Yeah, our users really don't like this, maybe we shouldn't do it.
MPAA: You're going to use this DRM scheme and that's final.
In other words, maybe they thought they were going to have some say in whether they instituted it, and thus that they could let their users have some say, only to find out the MPAA wasn't actually going to give them any say in the matter..
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Re: From theoretical to ensured
Except not. That argument almost never holds in these cases. It would if your potential customer was saying "Jeez, I sure would buy your product if only it had DRM", but after you've made the sale it's done. The protection for that sale is that it concluded. You got your money, the client got their product. And, like you said, that's painfully obvious when someone, as a potential customer, can add this bullshit to the top of their Cons list while evaluating their purchase.
It's completely stupid in every way and I can't see how these decisions keep getting made. I can see that it can be disheartening to see your product freely available for anyone to grab, but making it less convenient to buy WHILE you treat existing and potential customers like criminals is never a solution.
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Re: Re: Re: DAZ 3D and 3D Content DRM
Joking aside, like you said, going after pirates as potential customers is wrong headed. It's like trying to make friends with the burglar you just caught inside your house when you came home. (To make a crude and poorly/not-at-all nuanced analogy)
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Re: Re: Re: Re: DAZ 3D and 3D Content DRM
Not least your assertion that trying to convince "pirates" to pay by addressing the reasons they pirated is "wrong-headed", while supporting DRM (which often affects paying customers more severely than pirates) is somehow a sound strategy.
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Re: From theoretical to ensured
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Re: Re: From theoretical to ensured
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To do well with the software you have to have a better than average computer. While lower spec computers can produce images, they can't produce really good images. You need to start out with something along the lines of a gaming computer for standards.
The time taken to convert an image from 3D to 2D so you can show it to someone else is considerable. It's not a few minutes process but more on the lines of hours, depending on complexity and abilities of the computer.
To complicate the process with DRM will not win more people to their products.
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Simple explanation
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Re:
What people like about Steam is it's convenience. Want to buy a game, or give one as a gift? Super easy via Steam. Downloading and installation are easy as well.
If you make buying something easier and more convenient than pirating then people will buy. The thing is companies think DRM does this, but most DRM actually makes it harder to buy then pirate.
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DRM - never a good idea!
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Never Again
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Re: Re: Re: From theoretical to ensured
Yet nobody believes any of that anti-piracy propaganda except clueless politicians and marketroids. Time after time after time it's received as a joke by the masses with the money to spend, yet those two classes of nitwits swear by it and fall for the lie almost every single time, never learning from their past failure to recognize reality.
Boycott if you can, pirate if you can't live without it, but don't encourage this insanity by sending them money! That just encourages them to find something even worse to do to you next time.
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Caveat emptor.
Once their pathetic encryption gets broken, "pirates" can keep their stuff in any format they please and in any location they please (including TPB or Megaupload).
You'd think these people would come up with something like generating 2048 bit long keys based on customer name + address + credit card no. (all at time of purchase) and possibly up to twenty MacIDs, all calculated within the app. Nope. Phone home successfully to the Mother Ship, or lock it up. Foot, meet bullet.
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DAZ 3D DRM
The more I think about the DAZ 3D DRM the more I think it isn't really about piracy, it is more about control of their and their vendors digital products that anything else.
Perhaps they think DRM will help lock in users to their product, rather than say the new (and awesome I might add) Poser 11 software.
They already changed their format a while back that caused a big headache for users of the original Poser software, after which an importer was created so that the figures and content could be used outside of the DAZ 3D software product. Now this.
I may be wrong but I do think at least partially it is about control.
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Re: Caveat emptor.
You omitted senior management, who along with politicians are committed control freaks, and DRM = control.
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If Steam was just a digital distribution system, I wouldn't have too much of a problem with it, it's the DRM part I can't stomach.
I should be able to go on eBay and buy a used, boxed retail copy of Half-Life II if I want, but thanks to Steam and the need to register Steam-crippled games to a Steam account for life, that boxed copy is about as useful as a paperweight.
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Re: DAZ 3D DRM
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Re: Once upon a time, there's a company called DAZ...
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I vastly prefer the XKCD take on DRM
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Re: DAZ 3D DRM
As a third party vendor I think encryption is the least of your problems.
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