EQAnnounce SHUTDOWN
It seems that a program Sony didn't approve of has now been shutdown just after a new version release. EQAnnounce creator/distributor was told that his program violated something, but from the story below I cannot decipher exactly what exvept that is it technically a third party program and we know how Verant feels about that. IF you have this program, for your account status safety, please do not use.
Distribution shut down per request of Sony Online.
Over the last day or so I have spoken with the Director of Legal and Business affairs both by email and voice. I might add that he was very personable.
These were not his words verbatim, but I will give you the run-down.
In summary, Sony is not in the business of evaluating third-party software. Period. The End. As a systems architect/developer in real-life, I wondered why they would devote manpower to evaluating third-party applications on a regular basis. This doesn't make a whole lot of business sense, personally. When I received the initial approval, I was so ecstatic I didn't take a bunch of time to focus on that. That should have been my first clue.
To make a long story short, someone impersonated someone at Sony and gave me an email authorization. This individual worked for a different division of Sony. Even had he not been impersonated, he didn't have the authority to grant the approval.
After ironing out the "unofficial" approval problem we talked about where we go moving forward.
Sony would prefer that I just cease distribution. Which I am doing. Since they don't evaluate third-party applications (to make sure there are no trojans, etc.), we will not be evaluated. He did mention he wouldn't mind evaluating us should this policy change though.
I then briefly explained what the application did and that I felt it didn't constitute any violations of either the EULA or Rules of Conduct, only that the distribution of it might open me up personally lible for Article 14 of the Rules of Conduct.
Ok, so I can't distribute it. Can I, me personally, still use it?
He was then very clear in indicating to me that "the use of a third-party tool" including this one would be considered "in violation." The basis for this being because what it does violates, or if it just being "third-party" violates was not confirmed.
Not threateningly, he mentioned that while my account could be flagged so that it is watched if I wanted to continue trying to using the tool, that it just would be much simpler to not. I have to agree. If they could detect it running or not, I don't care, it really isn't worth it to me.
Ok, so now I can't run it either.
This basically answered my next question: If you are concerned about trojan horses, how about I just release the source code to the public and they can compile it themselves?
Well, if *I* personally could be in violation if I run it -- yours truly would be if you compiled it and ran it yourselves.
SO... we are shut down.
At least until (if ever) they begin evaluating third-party applications. I feel confident that I'll be one of the first considered since I did everything "above-board", but most likely if that day ever comes I won't be playing EverQuest then so it will probably be moot.
So, it is my unfortunate duty to inform all the pleased users that they should not run the program if they have downloaded it and that if you do, it is at your own risk should they put up detection systems for it.
/e sigh. Guess it's back to my monk...
TO ALL THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH ACTIVISTS:
Don't even begin to go off on the usual "Lets rally to the cause against the evil Sony", I'm not going to waste my time fighting this. It's just not worth it to me.
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