Once again for those too stupid to understand:

The EXE file you download from the Minecraft is not the game. It's the launcher. The launcher downloads the game automatically in the form of a JAR file. That JAR file IS the game. It is not protected. It will run wherever you copy it. It is no more DRM than GOG's downloader is.

In the eternal words of Dieter Nuhr: If you have no idea, just keep your trap shut.

The computer you use to download things does not have to be the one you run those things on.

But when you can freely copy (and back up) things from the computer with internet to the computer you play on, that's pretty much the definition of DRM-free.

You download the game on the computer with internet and copy it to the one without, just like with GOG.

Exactly what I said.

The fact that you have login, authorization and file manangement bundled in a client and handled through a client/server pairing instead of a login to get a no strings attached file, with no verification/authorization run server side beyond an initial user login where file management doesn't have to go through a client-server connection is where the DRM is at.

Personally i consider Minecraft to be DRM light, that's why above i said "It's not DRM free, not really". What i'm failing to see is how you can say it is a bit disingenuons to call it DRM free and at the same time say it's DRM free. I'm really not interested if it's disonhest or not, i'm focusing on the nature and behaviour of the processes, i'm not interested in moral judgements regarding the people who implented them, even because i already supported them with coin and everything. To me its clear that things were implemented as they were mostly on account of the application specifics, mostly geared towards MP, and the DRM free label was slapped on it to have marketing and PR ride the coattails of the current DRM free awareness factor.


It's not me who has to be online, i have to allow the client to go online. If you can't see the difference, that's fine, you're far from the only one who can't.

In the eternal words of Namur: Please be so kind as to shove the 'tude where the sun doesn't shine. We're done baby.

Edit: typo's

Even if you get it through a client-server connection, you still get no strings attached files. This is why I say it has no DRM.

Because the way they state it implies something like the GOG setup, which the game obviously isn't. It still is DRM-free, just in an annoying way.

Wrong analogy. The games on GOG are about long finished games (mostly). So there simply aren't any updates anymore. And for a game which gets updates, Witcher 2, for example, it has the updates also downloadable elsewhere.

And If you really ask how people expect to download updates? Well just like 5 years ago. A link - you click on it - download starts. Nothing easier than that. Since when did logging in become obligatory in the internet?

Regarding the topic: I think Minecraft is mostly DRM free.

Having to allow game files on my machine to go online and phone home someplace in order to get my game(s) downloaded and up to date instead of me going online to get an up to date build or a standalone patch for my isntall through a regular http download is kinda of where some of the strings are at. There is absolutely no reason why the installer couldn't be provided as standalone with the login available on the client for those who wish to play multiplayer but redundant for those who don't.

There is no good reason for me to have to allow game files on my machine to talk with other files on a server somewhere in order to download a couple of files and dump them on a folder on my HD, i'm perfectly capable of handling that myself, and more than anything i welcome the transparency of that way of handling things, you know, gog's way of handling things, the HIB way of handling things (for most if not all titles on their bundles), the drm free way of doing things as far as i'm concerned, where you control how things are done instead of game files here and some other files over there talking it over and keeping you out of the loop in terms of what's really going on under the hood.

A slightly annoying flavour of DRM free then ? That's basicaly what DRM light means, almost, sorta, kinda DRM free but not quite.

I frankly fail to see how people are arguing that current minecraft scheme is DRM-free. For me client connecting to the internet is a sort of DRM, I agree that being able to copy to another machine and play without connecting again makes its sort of acceptable but there is no doubt its a DRM scheme. This is similar to what Dragon Age had for DLCs (which you could download as standalone files actually) but only difference is if you re-install or move to a new box, you had to connect to the internet with the game once and EA implementation was crap as usual and sometimes game fails to recognize that you are legit owner of the DLCs

It might be the wrong analogy, but not for the reason you say, given that GOG have started releasing new games which may be updated (that and the fact that they have updated games in the past, I distinctly remember re-downloading Arcanum and Myst: ME).
I agree, there is absolutely no reason to not provide a standalone download and I wish they would. I find the lack of standalone version undesirable, but I just don't think that constitutes DRM when the files that are downloaded will then run on any computer, regardless of whether it has ever connected to the game servers.

I guess we just have different definitions of DRM and we're going to have to agree to disagree. I'm finding myself making the same points in different ways, so I feel now is probably the time for me to withdraw from the debate. ;)

We both decided Minecraft deserved our support and neither of us was made unconfortable by that decision. Considering the draconian schemes and unfriendly consumer/customer policies still around that's probably alot more important then agreeing 1oo% on a definition ;)

Then once you downloaded the updated installers from here, you can archive them and install on any computer without any check ever. I don't know if Minecraft works the same way? Also updates for Minecraft probably come much more often than for Arcanum or Myst or even the newer games here.

yes, it it is possible to download the updates, store them and apply them later. It is not as convenient, but it is possible. Mojang tend to put all updates as downloads as they go along.

Yes, as I said in earlier posts, the downloaded files can be freely backed up and copied to other machines without having to go online again.
Like amok said, it's definitely not as convenient but there aren't any actual restrictions on the files.