I refuse to play Halflife 2 just because they suggested the mandatory use of steam, and I couldn't care less if they decide to change their minds. As far as I'm concerned Valve sucks and their games be damned. I liken Steam to that CoolSearch toolbar/virus that the asshole creators insist is for our benefit.

I don't like Windows accessing the net for whatever "helpful" reasons, I disable autoupdates, and yet that bloated pig of an OS still triggers ZoneAlarm more times than I can count. Creating a ton of firewall rules for a new windows XP installation is now just a regular part of installing the OS. I will NOT tollerate that shit for a stinkin game.

Those self-important jackasses must be suffering from a god-complex, and as far as I'm concerned, anyone who pays for a copy of half-life 2 only to relenquish their privacy or any control over their own machines/games to Valve is as much a part of the problem as the ever increasing sleazoids in the software industry. If ever a game cried out to be pirated, it's this one, and I hope enough of it happens to put those control freaks out of business forever.

I am SICK AND TIRED of being punished for the acts of pirates when I spend my hard-earned godamn money on a game...especially when NONE of their counterpiracy measures EVER work. NONE! Wnen will these freaking idiots learn that? I have never bought a *popular* game that somebody at work didn't brag about downloading for free. Even Doom3! I pay for all my games, and feel ripped off enough when I have to wait for patches like a good beta-tester (though I must admit Doom3 was flawless), but to be told my money aint good enough, and that they want access to my freakin hard drive?!!

Screw you Valve, and screw anyone who supports them and is too dumb to see the sleazy precedent Valve wants to set for the rest of the software developers who may follow suit.

That's my rant, sorry if it's already been said, but the more it gets said, hopefully the more people will realize that supporting Valve is just plain wrong. And I really don't want to hear the company line from any valve fanboys... I'll regard you with the same sneering disdain that I reserve for the assholes who insist pop-up windows are really a good thing, and that combined with cookies can direct the "right kind" of advertising to your desktop to "better serve you". Pfft! When it comes to things like Steam, CoolSearch, Cookies, etc... I automatically assume the company line is bullshit if not outright lies.

I don't care if they don't spy, I don't care if it hogs resources, I don't give a rat's ass what it does or does not do...I will not buy a game and be told I have to install another piece of superfluous software that is not the game in order to play the game. That is the marketing genius of complete assholes at work.

I can update my own games Valve, and I don't need you converting my game machine into a Valve machine...so take your HL2 and shove it right up your friggin @sses.

Geezer