Quick question RE: Classic D2

[Crystalion]

Just to make things clear, if something in a game makes me angry, I don't accept it.  I either cease performing the actions that make me angry, or quit the game entirely.

(Warning: rhetorical speech follows--no humans are meant to be harmed in the opinions expressed and thought experiments that follow, but oven mitts are suggested...)

I am a programmer. As such I know it is likely that I can modify the behavior of software under my local control and perhaps even some software in use by others. Since making such changes entails various costs, I'm very likely to instead "accept" whatever it is that I object to, instead of working to fix it. Since I have reasonable "fears" about reprisals to my economic well being or reputation should I dare to make certain changes (I'm not entirely hypothesizing here, as I went through this a little bit with D1) I am relatively unlikely to venture changes.

I'm also fairly unlikely to start a lawsuit or protest action designed to force publisher behavior to change either.

Some of the actions in the first paragraph above many reasonable people might label "cheating" and also label users of such "cheats" (assuming I allowed my efforts to be shared by others) as "cheaters".

If you are a woman in a Muslim country, who will be harmed if you do not publicly wear a veil, then you'd better not be angry about it. Because if what "don't accept it" means is merely that you'll cease performing the angry-making action or quit, then you're still S.O.L. by circumstance.

Ala Hamlet: "To suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms, and by opposing, end them?"

I *paid* Blizzard for D2 (repeatedly in fact, as I own 3 copies of D2c and 3 copies of D2x--hopefully this tells you that I largely admire Blizzard products and many people at Blizzard, past and present). Society and our legal system has allowed them certain "rights" controlling my use of the property I bought from them (albeit their attorney might claim I purchased only an abstraction, a "license"). However my fair use "rights" are quite extensive (though rarely properly enforced, since corporations spend more money on litigation than consumers). Since Blizzard makes no warranty whatsoever for their software (like everyone else) and denies any and all liability for it, I would additionally claim the right to fix or enhance the software for my own use, as needed, when Blizzard does not. If my fellow users have the same right, then one might ask why a fix or enhancement I make shouldn't be freely available to them as well? This gets into the sticky derivative works vs. fair use issue. Not to mention restraint of trade.

Blizzard's extensive (and welcome) support for the D2 modder community as of v1.10 is in apparent contradiction of their license agreement. Facetiously speaking, this is a little like an imaginary Bush administration initiative to give away a bong inscribed with "Don't do Drugs!" to every teenager. (and in the fine print: "Drugs" is not meant to discourage your lifelong paid use of pain relievers, nicotine delivery products, caffienated products, alcoholic beverages, Viagra or any other drug offered for sale by corporations with lobbyists who make political contributions).

Jarulf is enshrined in the D2 product and thanked on the Blizzard website, yet Blizzard maintains, in court, that some of what he does (code reading and publication/use) is illegal under the license agreement under US law (note: Jarulf is apparently not subject to US law in this regard--at least not until we finish conquering the world by force).

Let us not forget that the EFF is still fighting Blizzard's legal ship-sinking salvo vs. BNETD (which is no longer relevant, apart from the principles involved, as the BNETD technology and "threat" has been eternally neutralized, whether Blizzard loses the case or not).

I am probably being too abstract, as usual, eh?

Let's say I make a code mod adding a "gamble reset" button to the gamble shop screen. This allows you to look at the next set of gambles a few seconds faster and with less clicking. The process is still pretty insane (for trying to get a unique at least). My current understanding of what you're saying is that you'd agree that this makes some sense (though it still falls short) but that you would not use it (perhaps for fear of being banned).

But where is Blizzard's fear of you? Where is small claims case (or cases, in the tens of thousands) accusing them of forcing you into gratutious clicking hand strain and eye strain? Of causing emotional distress? (I mean, you did use the word "angry" and all of us know exactly how you feel, and understand that the software is to blame). Why should the only choice here, for you, be "accept it or leave it"?! Is software and its makers somehow some sort of deity that we should pay/worship thoughtlessly and endlessly while any grumbling is considered heresy punishable by death?

Now, when I get myself worked up in this way, you could perhaps say that I am "angry". I could cease buying commercial software (instead using only open-source, etc.). I could quit using software entirely. Maybe if either of those options appealed to me, I'd be a nicer person. Maybe if I were a nicer person I'd not be implictly criticizing your "acceptance" in this way. Perhaps I should buy a sedative (instead of being seditious). What do you think?

Edit: correction to truncated Hamlet quotation.