It's a classy move by Blizzard. It's not often a major game company admits a mistake and reverses a stupid decision. While the original RMAH/always online decision was stupid, at least they have the decency to realise that and backtrack. I can only assume that the reception of the 'fixed' D3 console release helped drive this decision.

I recall reading that player activity in D3 dropped by 80% within two months of the PC release, so there's your RMAH audience. The other 80% (plus those who didn't buy) prefer the game without that.

If D3 comes without the always online requirement they will have two sales from me.

The notion that venture capitalists are somehow "in the way" here is highly specious.

The simple fact is that no one on Kickstarter is there for any reason other than "we want your money because no one else would give us any."

This can be new start-ups with more dreams than schemes, venture capital won't touch them because they have zero experience in doing what they are doing. The idea that "I've never done it, but how hard could it be?" should -and does- raise alarm bells among the sensible.

The second group of Kickstarter money seekers can be classified as the "glorified pre-order" group. These are the established companies that use Kickstarter to fund their normal course of business. The return on investment is too low to justify VC funds, so companies come to crowdfunding as a way of avoiding negotiations with their bank, that is all.

Somewhere in Kickstarter are some interesting little projects (usually local arts projects) that genuinely benefit from this model.

Any VC who would put his clients' money into some of the high risk, high profile Kickstarter projects (I'm looking at you, Ouya) deserves to be fired - which is why they don't. There are no projects on Kickstarter that operate in the VC sphere. None.

"Teachers Fight Back" should have read "Founder of Company Trying To Sell Content Khan Gives Out For Free Strikes Back" and a poor hatchet job it was too.

..it is that those in positions of leadership absolutely need someone else on hand to pull their wieners from the fire at need.

I think it's sad that when it comes to the manned exploration of our solar system, NASA are part of the past, not the present.

Yes, I can imagine doing that. This is why I have never done it.

Yes but they would be replaced by people who are actually knowledgeable as opposed to merely opinionated.

It's more likely a change in the rules and/or a change in their definition of 'misuse'. The rules for this change all the time and the same site can be blocked or unblocked (like Slashdot!) depending on the whim of the IT Director. But certainly, it's not due to a change in behaviour.

Fuck, YES. I read the original story, about the school introducing this moronic system, and could only shake my head. Attempts at total control are generally the solution proffered by lazy bureaucrats as an alternative to them doing their jobs. Here’s an idea - instead of working out ways of forcing the kids into school and keeping them there - why not work to make it compelling for them to come to school in the first place. I know, hard, right? Idiots. However, the creative (dare I say scientific) solution employed, and so quickly makes me remotely proud of our clever children. It’s nice to see the kids are far more intelligent and creative than their so-called teachers. I will have somewhat less pride when they remotely drain my bank account and I am forced to live on cast off gummi bears, but hey.

They mostly work in marketing. I believe it's a pre-requesite there.

No, it isn't.

"The end of DRM?" Nice spin. In fact it's the proposed end of anything other than DRM. If Valve have their way, the only way to play a PC game (which you bought and paid for, and should actualy own) will be to connect to Valve servers.

You know, because you should have to repeatedly prove you did not steal the product you paid for in order to keep using it. At Valve's discretion they will eventually discontinue the "service", leaving you with nothing. Have fun with that.

Holy shit, I'm a bat!

Mars has a similar axial tilt to Earth's. The fact that one hemisphere of Mars is lower than the other points to a significant impact in the early days of the solar system. Mars and Earth have very similar early histories.