So for reasons I need to know a bit more about DRM-freeness of GoG. I already read FAQ and know that I can install it on any PC in my household yet I can't install it on my friend PC. This bothers me (in theory since I don't have any friends), so I hope someone can clarify something for me. :)

9. Can I enjoy my purchases both on my laptop and desktop computer at home?
Yes. We do not limit the number of installations or reinstallations, as long as you install your purchased games on computers in your household. So yeah, if you've got a render-farm in the basement, you might actually break the world record for the number of legal Witcher installations in one household. However, if you think about installing your game on a friend's machine or sharing it with others then please don't do it, okay?
The same principle applies to movies - you're free to watch them anywhere you want, with anyone you want, as long as you don't share them with people who haven't purchased them.


My problem is sharing/borrowing, whatever you want to call it. Let's say I have a book. I finished reading it, I'm giving it to my friend so he can read it and then return it to me. So both of us read it, none of us in the same time and only one of us pay for it.

Yet this concept seems wrong with digital items since they can be copied, unlike books. So if I finished playing, for example, Witcher 3 and I want my friend to play it then I'm not allowed to "borrow" him the game (analogy with the book, one of us paid, both of us play, none in the same time). Okey, I have no problem with that, if GoG doesn't want me to borrow a digital copy to a friend I'll be cool to GoG since they're for me.

So my question here is... Well, this is moral dilemma or law dilemma? CAN I borrow his the game if I don't play it in the same time as he play it and SHOULD I do this? If you have any quotes from GoG/CDPR team about that it would be great.

And this is for theory purposes only since as i stand at beginning - i don't have friends. Someone please add me? ;___;

First comment. You lend your book to someone, while someone borrows your book. Different verb depending on whether you are giving or receiving.
Second comment. GOG had a post about it, but it is almost 4 years old at this time. See here, part 3.

@Jmich
Damn, man, thank you very much! In several threads i find "GoG made post about it" but post itself was nowhere to be found. I'm very grateful to you!

This is partly a moral dilemma, and could also be extended to DVD movies or books. Do you personally feel it is wrong your friend(s) can play the game without the developer/publisher/GOG receiving a penny from it? Or see a movie, or read a book? Only you can answer that, I guess.

If I was to borrow my GOG games to people not in my household (which I don't, partly because I don't really have PC gaming friends in real life especially interested in older games that GOG mostly has), one principle I'd have is that I wouldn't provide the actual game installers to them. If I want to allow them to play the game I've purchased from GOG, I'd go to install the game myself on their PC.

Since the publisher and GOG gave me the control over the games by removing DRM, I feel it is my obligation to try to keep that control to myself, as much as possible. If I gave the installer to a friend, or even my login details to GOG so that they could download and install the game(s) themselves, then I feel I would be passing the control completely to them, something I am not supposed to do. I should somehow try to be in control that they don't try to share the same game to their friends, or on the internet to the whole world, etc. (Sometimes they might be able to do that even without the installer, somehow copying the files directly to the other PC, but at least it wouldn't be that straightforward and easy as with the original installer.)

It is just a principle, to respect the level of control that GOG/publisher gave me without DRM.

The difference between a book and a digital product is scope. Sure, you can lend your book to a friend who can read it. However get a scanned copy and you could send it to most people on the planet who could all read it. That is the problem facing the digital world. Hence why DRM came about to limit the scope of people who can use a product.

Simply put, DRM doesn't work, at least to the extent they would like it to, and tends to affect actual paying customers far more than those its designed to prevent against. DRM free negates the problems to the customer, however opens up the field to those willing to abuse it.

I doubt you will have suited men appear at the door if you lend a copy to your friend, however, in doing so you reduce the real value of your on product, that company not getting the money for their work will reduce their further contribution, i.e. if they get a lot of money from product A, then they would be more willing to make expansions, follow ups.

Well, i'm not entirely clear on GOG's stance regarding this issue but i think some common sense applies. I feel nightcraw1er.488's answer pretty much hit the nail on the head. However, my personal view on this matter is as far as possible u shd avoid borrowing from ur fren OR lending ur fren a copy of GOG's game if u truly respect GOG.

Thus my answer to ur question is that it is BOTH a moral & legal dilemma. However, i feel if either u & ur fren 'pass' it on to each other on LOAN with NO monetary exchange involved it MAY be ok PROVIDED u & ur fren do NOT play the game for the ENTIRE duration that u & ur fren hold on to the copy. After u & ur fren are done playing with the game u & ur fren should DELETE the game & inform each other at the same time so u & ur fren can resume playing ur own game.

This is just my own interpretation so i'm not sure if i'm totally right but treating the digital copy like a physical copy usually does the trick. ;)

You are quite right, there is however the other side to consider. If I lend a book to a friend, say book 1 of Drizzt saga and they like it, then they are likely to go out and buy the series. Same goes with any product and its one of the reason that (taking books again) you see lots of book x of y in charity shops and book fairs, the publisher actually puts them out there to get interest. So if I lend one game to a friend, and they get interested and signup to GOG and buy games then that works for everyone. Word of mouth and sharing is a big advertising system for vendors. This obviously only is for close use, I mean you could have friends round to watch a film - there has to be some leeway!

I agree there has to be & in fact it should if there isn't already some leeway when dealing with IP rights but i think different media has different ways to 'share'. As in a book is only read by one person at a time while a movie on the other hand can be seen by many at the same time. As far as i know, if u invite a group of friends over to ur hse to watch a movie that u either bought or rent it is PERFECTLY OK as it is still watched on a 'PERSONAL' basis. However, if u made multiple copies of the same movie to share with friends then it becomes a problem cos u'll be violating the ToS stated when u bought or rent the movie.

Thus my point is IP rights for different media is dealt with differenly. In the case of digital media especially DRM-free content, we have to apply basic common sense in order to obey the law & more importantly, respect the IP rights of the developer/publisher. That being said, if lending a friend a game to play makes him become interested in the game (or perhaps even the whole series) & leads to him eventually buying the game himself then i guess everybody wins. ;)