Blizzard ripping off Starcraft 2-buyers?

The computer game Starcraft 2 was released today, and color me surprised when I noticed Blizzard is actually selling the downloadable version of the game for 59.99 Euros (mind you there are virtually no costs involved with this kind of distribution!) on their website, whereas you can get pick up the dvd's from any number of game stores considerably cheaper than that:

Play.com sells it for 48.00 Euros.
Amazon.com sells it for 59.99 Dollars, also around 48.00 Euros.
Most computer stores in Sweden sell it for around 42.00 Euros.

Please tell me that the 59.99 Euro pricetag for downloading this game from battle.net was a mistake that has been corrected by Blizzard now. If anything it should be a way below 40 Euros.

Photo: Screenshot from game.

The problem of acknowledging Internet as a global distribution channel

Aaargh!!! It never ceases to amaze me how certain companies refuse to acknowledge the wonder of the global distribution channel called Internet. Instead companies are clinging on to the idea of old geographically fragmented and costly distribution models where you would have to establish agreements in each country or region with wholesalers or retailers, you would have to have a lot of logistics in place to ship your products around the world... Sure, I could understand that certain products were only available in certain parts of the world back in those days, or that they had different launch dates in different parts of the world.

But downloadable software..."not available in your country"...really? I can't believe a company like Microsoft, who likes to think of themselves as innovators (of course in reality they're quite the opposite, but that's another discussion...), just recently opened up for European users to download and install their free security software Security Essentials, six months after making the same piece of software available for the Americans! That's just so 1990's.

"This item is available for shipping only"

Not that I'm in the market for a new OS, but I thought I'd check out Windows 7 anyway, just to see what the fuss is all about. And to be honest, I don't care how fancy schmancy it looks, an IT company that is not yet, in this day and age, able to deliver it's new operating system as a download on demand, but insists on shipping it to you in a big box with 2 DVD's, wasting it's own and my money, not to mention my valuable time and the environment, isn't worth it.

Luckily there's alway Ubuntu, that takes me an hour to download and install, without having to wait for days for the DVD's to arrive, and without any annoying registration processes. Oh yeah, and it's for free. Sure, it doesn't have transparent windows and features and functions you'll never use, but it's got something Windows has never had: Security.


"This item is available for shipping only" my ass. This is 2009, Microsoft!!!

CMX - what is it good for?

The music industry "axis of evil", Sony, Warner, Universal and EMI, are launching a new download format for albums, called CMX. What's wrong with MP3, you might ask. Well, for starters MP3-files don't include lyrics and music videos. But who really cares about that? Do a google search and find the lyrics you're interested in. And music videos? What is this, the 80's?

Most importantly, though, MP3-files don't include DRM, a computer virus that I'm convinced this new CMX-format will be infected by:

"Only playable on a Microsoft Windows computer with Internet Explorer 8 installed. Can only be installed on one computer at a time. We reserve the right to shut down our DRM-servers at any time, rendering your purchase useless".

Ooooh, I can't wait to waste my money on this. Not.

Sweet deal...ummm, or not.

Virgin, or the ISP-part of the company, has revealed a sweet deal for it's broadband customers. In fact, you could say it's "an offer you can not refuse":

1. Download or stream MP3-files legally, for a monthly fee, and...

2. Get you internet activity closely monitored by Virgin, who reserves the right to terminate your internet connection if they suspect you're engaged in file sharing activities.

No, thanks, Virgin.