I wonder if someone had stole the steam code would valve say anything...? What a beautiful back door it would make. I know the security minded Valve who is known for writing such quality code would never let us down and some hax in through the always on, hook living on your systray trying to get in to your wallet....STEAM. I pay for my system resources and hate companies that try to get a hook into them like AOL, Microsoft,RealAudio,Gator, diffrent kinds of adware and now Valve... What can steam offer that cant be provided in the game? Sell your software on a web site and let them downloaded it. Dont try to put your Valve Store on my systray and wrap it with a bunch of smoke and mirrors and tell me its for ME.

The only Innovation Steam offers is another Hook into you, like so many fish being dragged to the fryer.

They did it to take attention off the ever unpopular STEAM that was getting bad press and to give them more time with the Steam security issues..

Is the Steam source code safe?? Its Bad enough if they can hax the game your playing and Worse is them hacking the always on Steam and getting entrance to your computer like the hackers used outlook. Think if the Steam Source code was stolen they would have told us?? What does steam offer that makes it worth running yet another program all the time on my systray. From what I hear HL2 will take most of what our systems have to run well in the first place, Now lets just throw the straw (steam) on the camels back and watch it break. I dont think Security is Valves strong suit and I think your stupid if you count on Valve to provide you adaquate security with Steam. If HL2 requires Steam then im requiring no one put HL2 on my network.

As an IT tech I hate developers and there premadona attitudes in needing everything and not willing to give up anything. They make my job impossible with there winey azzes. Try to get the medical imaging source code we develope at Kodak. You wont get shiet unless you brake into the building becuase we have no connection to the outside world on our development network. they use there PDAs and crap on there corparate systems which again are Isolated from the Development network. They Use USB drives to move data they collect from there Corporate systems and Xfer them to there Development systems. I know its to much work for developers to have to use more than one system (they may break a nail) and to have to use complex hardware like USB drives is far to much to ask....Oh ya who can aford mulitple computers they are so expensive... What is your SOURCE CODE WORTH.........Nothing if you dont have the brains or character to keep it safe.. BY the way anyone know how the Steam source code is doing??? The guy below is an accident ready to happen anyone out there want him working for you.. what excusses............


Before you ask -- yes.. I _AM_ one of those "dumb" developers you're referring to.. now that that's out of the way...

Accidents happen .. accidents happen all the time .. example:
1. developer (let's call him GN -- just for fun ;p ) working on his local box with access to the corporate network..
2. GN has local admin rights because he's well.. a developer for gosh-sakes
3. GN has PDA and wants to be able to sync with his PC during meetings or TS into his desktop to show something
4. GN installs a wireless access point on his local computer
5. access point gets its rear-end hacked open by some malicious dude just walking around sniffing for open or semi-open networks.
6. malicious dude steals everything on the local computer (which has GOT to include a copy of some, if not all, GN's source code -- otherwise he wouldn't be able to build it) and perhaps the network
7. GN = screwed

Stuff like that happens all the time and is a combination of a little carelessness and a LOT of bad luck... just be thankful if it hasn't happened to you.

So -- if you've got the time, money and manpower to purchase, set up, administer, and closely monitor 3 completely separate networks (one COMPLETELY closed, one monitored for email and MSDN perhaps, and one open for entertainment) then more power to ya! Just be aware that it only takes ONE mistake and some bad luck to screw you...

Oh... and those who use the house example -- you've probably left your house unlocked at least once (I know I have).. like I said -- ONE mistake and bad luck

I can careless what happens to HL2 or Valve. I canceled my Preorder because of STEAM. The only not so original thing Steam seems to offer is another IM client on my systray eating more of my system resourses (wich we all pay for) and giving another software publisher a hook into my machine and wallet (Like Microsoft or AOL). Content and security can be handled within the game. Plus I feel Steam is putting the counter strike community Six feet under even faster with the introduction of Steam. Check the numbers of people playing CS on gamespy and you will see a dramatic decrease in numbers. Plus Steam makes alot of the older machines not be able to play CS any longer even though they meet all the system requirements at the time of original purchase. VALVE SEEMS ANYTHING BUT COMMUNITY ORIENTATED ACCEPT WHEN IT COMES TO NEEDING OUR HELP WITH THERE STUPIDITY. Like the big software developers I have worked for try putting your development on a completely isolated network (NO WIRE TO THE OUTSIDE)and give your people a seprate maching connected to the outside world for communication. That makes any data xfer have to use the 10 finger method. THIS IS STANDARD PER MY EXPERIENCE, WHERE HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN! With the level of inteligence Valve has shown I would also be very concerned about the Security for STEAM more than I would be for HL2. Maybe they left a big back door to your machine (IS THE STEAM SOURCE CODE SAFE).


SEAN

I have been doing IT work for 10 years now and totaly agree with you. Why Steam? there are plenty of titles for sometime now that offer content and patching from within the game. I have an IM client and do not wish to have another one liveing on my systray taking more of the resources I PAID for. I REALY WONDER HOW SECURE STEAM WILL BE AND IF IT WILL ONLY OPEN ANOTHER DOOR FOR HAXERZ TO GET TO ME. I do not think Valve gives a damn about any of our concerns. STEAM is just another way into our wallets wrapped in a bunch of smoke and mirrors to help make you feel good about it. I do not want another hook into me and my machine that offers me nothing I do not already have. I like GameSPy it allows me to interact with all kind of games and there comunities not just VALVE GAMES. I would like to ask Valve "where is your CHARACTER and COMUNITY spirit". JUST SAY "NO" TO ANYTHING WITH STEAM!!


Sean

Im not much for haxerz but it serves them right after STEAM. Most games can deliver content and security in the GAME.. Why this STEAM, and why do it to CS this late in the game? YOU can MAKE MONEY without acting like AOL OR MICROSCUM and shoving what you deam best for your wallets and our systrays. I hope HL2 is every bit as Haxed as HL. IDIOTs cant even keep there Development safe. Gabe keeps source code on his Machine connected to the Net, MorON. Get a DMZ zone and make it Isolated...

Put your development material in a DMZ zone with no connection to the net. I worked for IBM, Kodak, Lucent and ReadRite, they had enough sense to put there development code in an isolated network and used seperate machines on another network for email corispondence and such. You guys are security idiots no wonder Half Life is the most haxed game of all time.. what idiot is running that place?? I need a job and some easy money for not knowing how to do it... cant hack an isolated network unless you break into the building.... Wake up this is Standard procedure in my experience.


Sean

I Guess someone got STEAMED at them.... Maybe that Krap Steam messed with some haxz Counter Strike game??? HelpValve put STEAM on your Systray to Live forever.... Like HL2 wont take enough of our system resourses, without steam... I guess there getting treated like MicroScum and getting attacked for there "community spirit".. If there such the part of the community why do they ignore the million complaints about STEAM and the Communities desire not to have another system resourse LEACH like steam forced on us like some Lame azz AOL or Microsoft marketing sceem. Valve is about $$$$$$$ so get off the Fn community soapbox your standing on Gabe and say it like it is... "We want your $$ and do not give a F!@# what the community wants". I already canceled my preorder of HL2 after the fourth installation of Steam proved to be a complete waist of my time. Plenty of games have content update as part of the game and do not need another piece of software to accomplish it. The only not so original thing Steam offers is another way to get at our money and another "HOOK" into us and our rigz. I hope HL2 goes as well as STEAM and Valve Chokes on there arogance.

Sean

I will not use another piece of software that wants to live on my Systray like AOL or MSN. Feels like they are trying to OWN us by shoving what they deem best up our AZZeZ. Seems to me the only thing STEAM is accomplishing is killing the CS comunity a little bit faster so they can dig a little bit deeper for that money they CARE so much about. They call this MiniMicroCrap syndrom coupled with a secret desire to take over the world and a complete disregard for there customer base.

If there is so many old school people posting here how many rememmber ATI and there great commitment to bad DRIVERs. I have been screwed every time I bought an ATI card all the way from my first Mach64 to the last RADEON I used that caused both Win2K and XP to reboot out of the blue for no reason. As an IT tech I spent lots of hours trouble shooting this and many other problems with ATI cards, drivers and OS incompatability. I know they have gotten better but honestly how can I feel good about giving them another dollar of my money when I still feel like I never got my money worth the first half a dozen time I choose to use them. WITH 3DFX AND NVIDIA I HAVE ALWAYS FELT I GOT MY MONEYS WORTH AND SOME. NO wonder ATI had to change there tone to stay in bussiness. My loyalty is not bought with a few benchmarks.

Sean

It has been suggested in another post that maybe a Fund in the name of MamaBlue be created and donations taken for Breast Cancer Research. I have no Idea how to start a fund but I do Know I would be more than happy to make a Donation in MamaBlues name. Sorry about your loss. I lost someone close to me and at first I felt I lost something and with time I realized I lost nothing because I still felt the influence and the love of that person even stronger than before. Sorry only time realy helps.

Sean

I think if they make Counter Strike unplayable on the net without Steam they should refund me the cost of the four licenses I have. After all I never signed up for steam when purchaseing Counter Strike and with STEAM my systems can no longer play the game at an acceptable level. My systems more than satisfy the requirements setforth on the original package and now they wish to deprive me of what I paid for by destroying mine and so many others ability to play on the net. What is there motivation in doing this to an established community of loyal customers. I am questioning there CHARACTER or lack of IT. It will be MONEY BACK or my first time to use my PREPAID LEGAL.

SEAN

Great Suggestion. we should start a collection and make a donation in the name of BLUE for Breast Cancer Research. I would definantly donate.

Only Positive thoughts for your mother and family Blue.

Sean

Family first, everything else is just something we do. The BluesNews family cares.


Sean

I WANT 3DFX BACK!!! VOODOO

I am with You. I have canceled my HL2 Preorder.

It seems this is realy about ATI and Nvida and everyones EGO. I used ATI cards for years before Nvida ever came on the seen and my vast experience with ATI cards has tought me to never buy one again. AS an IT tech for that whole period of time I only experienced trouble with drivers and OS compatability. I hear things have changed with ATI and they have finaly made some improvements in this area. My experience with Nvida has been nothing but smooth and I feel I have gotten every dollars worth. I cant bring myself to gamble with any more of my time or money with a company that has had such a bad track record with me like ATI...

Im with you on my knees....lol ........My favorite though is Quake 1 CTF THUNDERWALKER Mod written by Panda.....

I have given Steam three chances since it first came out and I think that is enough. I do not care what they are "TRYING" to accomplish here, but I do know that it is making me rethink buying anymore valve products. I have canceled my preorder of HalfLife2 because I do not like this game of "STEAM" and I refuse to buy into it with my money or my TIME!!!!