The article summary itself says that SVB successfully lobbied to roll back regulation before it collapsed. A tiny bit of additional reading shows that the size limit for stress-testing was increased from $50B to $250B, allowing SVB to slide under the radar. Had the change not been made, the problems at SVB would have been found sooner, and the collapse likely avoided.

The forced rollout of Windows 10 is what finally forced me to switch to Linux on the Desktop. There's a learning curve, and not every application I want is available, but at least I feel like it's my computer again - not a "device" on Microsoft's ecosystem.

I agree that by pirating software you weren't going to buy anyway you do not harm the company you pirate from.

However, you ignored my other point. "Even if you've decided that you would rather go without than pay for the game, the conclusion that piracy is then victimless is also false. If you want to play a Diablo-style game without DRM, then find a publisher who is making that and pay them for your entertainment. Or create a free software group and build it yourself."

No, that's not right either.

Given that they created the game, they have the right to choose the conditions under which they're willing to sell it. If I don't like those conditions, I have the right not to buy it.

Even if you've decided that you would rather go without than pay for the game, the conclusion that piracy is then victimless is also false. If you want to play a Diablo-style game without DRM, then find a publisher who is making that and pay them for your entertainment. Or create a free software group and build it yourself. But breaking the law doesn't show up on my list of valid choices.

These are totally valid issues, but I guess it just comes down to how much I want it. Give up privacy to play games on Facebook? No, thanks. Requiring me to be connected and preventing me from reselling Diablo III? Sign me up. As long as it's a one-time fee for a game I expect to get many hours of enjoyment from, I'm only interested in the practical considerations. I have a network connection. I'm not planning on ever selling my copy of the game. That said, I was one of the people who stayed away from Spore a few years ago because they planned to do this kind of thing. The difference? Spore was something that looked "neat" but I didn't really see myself getting into it. Diablo III, I really want.

Note here that I'm going to glom first and second party together, as I'm never sure which ones are first or second.

The second party is you. The first party is Nintendo, a third party is anyone else not in the original transaction. So there are no second-party games. (Unless you've been a very busy Slashdotter!)