I'd like to say more but I'm already skirting the edges of what would be acceptable.

Better be careful doug, the games industry might sue you for pirating My Little Pony: The Golden Hay.

I think the major reason for boycotting of any system is the fact that the software/music/movie industries treat their customers like thieves. Guilty before proven innocent.

After close to 25 years of links to, and involvement in, the piracy scene, I simply cannot fathom why developers continue to plow money into disk protection systems. There is no game that isn't cracked, hacked and distributed - usually days or weeks before launch.

There has been no system that hasn't been broken. And it's not just software - dvd protection and region coding, high end application dongle / hardware negation, even now bluray protection. What developers seem to forget is that they develop this stuff for gain, but the majority of it is broken for the achivement. And people put more passion into achieving something than they do into developing something.

The only realistic model that can prevent piracy is obviously the pay-to-play model which requires server authentification.

For me, now though, I really don't indulge in game piracy. Neither of my consoles are hacked - after two decades of owning every game under the sun and playing none, I prefer to own a small number that I actually enjoy and play. And as for the PC, well, WoW killed all my PC gaming.

But you are also right, I bought GTAIV (360) because of the reviews despite the fact I didn't like any of the others! And you know what? I sold it a week later, for the same price on ebay.

BTW the main problem with securom isn't the install limit thing - thats exceptionally new (I believe it started this year). The main problem with securom is that for the last decade it has steadfastly refused to work at random. Some blame the drive make, some blame dirt on the laser but fundamentally it's bad programming in the actually Securom code.

One of the recent updates upped its cpu usage considerably, but perhaps the addon owner has rectified it. In fact, that could explain why my performance came back!

I couldn't quite put my finger on what that was slang for but I knew it was something humorous :)

If you're after the mid-range latest-gen card from ATI you should look at the 4850. 'tis good.

It was pretty calm after the military took over last time.

"my power supply wasn't cutting the cheese"

LOL Not sure if you knew this, but in American slang, cutting the cheese means fart. too funny

I am going to be looking for a new video card I think. I have a ATI X800 and it has done fine for me so far, but it is outdated. I usually go for the midrange stuff, but I have been out of the graphics card loop for quite some time, so I guess I need to get back to studying it.

How are you liking your selection?

And with a wave of my wand it's gone! Now no-one will know what you were talking about :)

Addicted to watching is harsh language.

I'm more addicted to gandering. :P

When I got back from Europe, I was staggered to find not a single stamp in my newly minted passport. My friend Ash had an entry and exit pass into France. ??? Maybe his passport was older, so that's why they stamped it.

We are with Westpac also, mainly because Kim worked for them as a bank teller for 8 years in the 80's and early 90's and I think we got a cheaper home loan.

I find it embarrassing that in country like ours, a person has to rely on "strings" being pulled to get the job done. I thought that sort of stuff was impossible nowdays due to "the system". I'm very happy for you, but I wonder who decided that they wanted to make life tough for Australian-born overseas residents like that.

I'm glad you get on well with your ex.