Creative Protection in BYOND Discussion

ID:134565
 
Apr 22 2006, 4:30 am
Yes I know this has been brouht up before but I'm not asking for a license. Instead of CPLs why not include a line of code that can prevent screen-grabs? It doesn't require licenses or any lawyers and could be an effective way to prevent rips.
#1 Apr 22 2006, 4:56 am
You cant really stop screen caps...
#2 Apr 22 2006, 5:15 am (Edited on Apr 22 2006, 5:41 am)
In response to Smoko (#1)
Rips don't spread around because of screen-capture programs.
#3 Apr 22 2006, 5:26 am
There are many, MANY third-party programs that could be used to take a screenshot, and BYOND can't do anything to stop it. At it's most extreme end, what's to stop people taking the data sent by the graphics card to the monitor and redirecting it to another computer that makes a picture file out of it? Nothing. There's no way to prevent it.
#4 Apr 22 2006, 6:56 am
In response to Jp (#3)
Jp wrote:
There are many, MANY third-party programs that could be used to take a screenshot, and BYOND can't do anything to stop it. At it's most extreme end, what's to stop people taking the data sent by the graphics card to the monitor and redirecting it to another computer that makes a picture file out of it? Nothing. There's no way to prevent it.

So just because someone could break a window to get into your house, you shouldn't lock the door? I don't understand why we don't at least try to prevent it. Most people will give up after PrntScrn and F2 (or F3, whichever DS's is) don't work.
#5 Apr 22 2006, 9:40 am
In response to Airjoe (#4)
All I need to do is open any other window, drag it out of the way of the Byond map, and hit PrintScreen. With the focus no longer on the Byond window, I don't see how anything in-game could stop it. I've also got a handy little program that automatically takes a screenshot every 10 milliseconds (good for making animated gifs of stuff) so...
#6 Apr 22 2006, 8:03 pm
TheLunarWolf wrote:
Yes I know this has been brouht up before but I'm not asking for a license. Instead of CPLs why not include a line of code that can prevent screen-grabs?

Well, if you'd have used the forum search before asking that, you'd know that that has been brought up before too. Many many many many MANY times, in fact. And having searched for and read one of the thousands of those threads in which other people also skipped the search process, you'd have already read the many reasons why not.

It doesn't require licenses or any lawyers and could be an effective way to prevent rips.

True, true, and false, in that order. Frankly a much more effective way to prevent rips would be to spray-paint your face dayglo pink (use non-toxic paint of course) and perform a pseudoreligious ritual dance to the Zeta spirits. It'd also be a lot more amusing than the 2500th entreaty of "Hey, why don't you add an annoying 'feature' that really bugs everyone but provides no benefit whatsoever?" On the other hand, the latter would get you in the door at Microsoft or Phillips.

Lummox JR
#7 Apr 22 2006, 8:11 pm
In response to Airjoe (#4)
Airjoe wrote:
So just because someone could break a window to get into your house, you shouldn't lock the door? I don't understand why we don't at least try to prevent it. Most people will give up after PrntScrn and F2 (or F3, whichever DS's is) don't work.

Anyone who thinks "I really want those icons" is not going to be satisfied with "Oh, I guess that method doesn't work" as a final answer, so the idea that most people would give up right away is bogus.

The ability to grab screenshots is a worthy and in fact underutilized feature. Removing it, and crippling Windows' built-in screen capture, would not solve any problems, but would greatly hinder legitimate developers. This remains a bad idea for all of the reasons previously stated ad nauseum, ad infinitum, ad cetera, in hundreds upon hundreds of similar nay identical threads.

Lummox JR