Interestingly, according to Supraland developer, he can't see split per OS for GOG purchases [External Link].



Why is GOG not providing that information to developers?

@JudasIscariot?

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Quoting: ChronariusWhich is not DRM! If I copy a game directory or make backup how I see fit then this ok.

Not according to your agreement with Steam. If you want to break it, it's your own choice, but according to Steam it's clearly not OK, so saying "see, it's not DRMed" is not helping anything, I already explained it above.

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Quoting: x_wingYes, that's definitely a problem if Steam cease to exist... and if the user agreement has any value in that case (or if I decide to "follow the law").

I pointed it out above. Being able to use what you bought after the store closes down is a major part of DRM-free purchase. So if Steam doesn't fit that condition, it's not DRM-free for me.

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Quoting: x_wingThere are facts and what you like to understand.

All you showed me is a "may be". I showed you explicit statement, that says that account is required. No account - no [legally usable] backups. So please, let's not repeat this all over, unless you have other sources.

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Quoting: x_wingLets stop playing this game of "what if" and "what I understand" and lets go for the facts:

Indeed, I see no point in further refuting your wrong claims that contradict the TOS which says you need Steam account to be allowed to use their games. You can show me the source which says that Steam allows you doing backups and using them without Steam account. Or otherwise let's move on to other topics, because I'm not going to agree with you.

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Quoting: marcusThis is not true and you are arguing yourself into a corner here.

It's included in these points:

We give you and other GOG users the personal right (known legally as a 'licence') to use GOG services and to download, access and/or stream (depending on the content) and use GOG content. This licence is for your personal use. We can stop or suspend this licence in some situations, which are explained later on.

You have the personal right to use GOG content and services. This right can be suspended or stopped by us in some situations.
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It seems very unlikely, but if we have to stop providing access to GOG services and GOG content permanently (not because of any breach by you), we will try to give you at least sixty (60) days advance notice by posting a note on www.gog.com and sending an email to every registered users – during that time you should be able to download any GOG content you purchased.

In the very unlikely situation that we have to stop running GOG we'll do our best to give you advance notice, so that you can download and safely store all your DRM-free content.

Backups are personal use, and second part shows that you can use them, even if the service shuts down.

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Quoting: x_wingStill, they explicitly says that you may be able to use Content and Services without their Client or an Internet connection.

Without saying when. So you can't extrapolate from there. Basically they can interpret that like they want. So for the user it basically is equal to "you can't, unless we told you you can".

Even if you argue you can ask them to clarify the ambiguity, the worse part is the account presence issue. One of the points of DRM-free purchase is ability to use what you bought even if the store shuts down. Requirement to have an account prevents you from legally doing it.

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Quoting: x_wingAs I already quoted, it reads "you may be required". It's a conditional requirement for the usage of their Content and Services. In other words, if you can run it without the client running, then you're fine.

It's not clear what "may be" refers to. But other points are explicit:

To make use of the Content and Services, you must have a Steam Account and you may be required to be running the Steam client and maintaining a connection to the Internet. <...>
Except as otherwise permitted under this Agreement (including any Subscription Terms or Rules of Use), or under applicable law notwithstanding these restrictions, you may not, in whole or in part, copy, photocopy, reproduce, publish, distribute, translate, reverse engineer, derive source code from, modify, disassemble, decompile, create derivative works based on, or remove any proprietary notices or labels from the Content and Services or any software accessed via Steam without the prior consent, in writing, of Valve.

I.e. they stress that only what's the agreement allows is permitted, so you can't extrapolate anything implicitly, like I said above. I don't see from the agreement that you can make backups without the client. And let alone use them, if your account is gone (which can happen if Steam shuts down or simply cancels your account).

Quoting: x_wingIt also should be explicit that you're not allowed to do something.

Usually the opposite. Copyright allows only what's explicitly specified. Negative parts of the agreement are aimed at reducing what you can normally do by law.

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Quoting: x_wingOk, lets says it is ambiguous. Still, where is written that you can't do a backup copy of your SteamApps?

I posted that above about using the client. I read it as unless they let you, you have to use the client. So you'd need to find an explicit permission.

Copyright stuff commonly works using explicit, not implicit scope. I.e. if it's not said - it's not covered.

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Quoting: x_wingI meant what I quoted, doing a SteamApps backups is valid (they suggest this). In the article you link explains on how to backup only one of your games, while SteamApps will backup your whole library plus some Steam config files.

Not sure if it means manual backup, since they say "Please see the Using the Steam Backup Feature topic", which implies they mean using their tool. I'd say, at best it's very ambiguous. Also, there is no clarification on whether you can use such backup for any purpose rather than that very specific use case of "moving your installation". Since it's talking about that, you can't really extrapolate.

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