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Their privacy policy prohibits sharing of personal data with third-parties, so I assume that they don't. There really seems to be nothing to see here. Cloud s

Their privacy policy prohibits sharing of personal data with third-parties, so I assume that they don't. There really seems to be nothing to see here. Cloud storage of mouse settings is perhaps a bit wacky, but I really don't think there is a conspiracy behind it. It might make more sense for the driver to allow local configuration, and then sync that to the cloud, rather than the other way around - but meh. The lack of internet connection probably isn't a real-world problem for users of a mouse targeted at MMO gaming. I've got one of these mice, and I can't reproduce any unresponsiveness when the driver transitions from online to offline. I think the real lesson to be learnt here is that even if you've done nothing wrong, if you don't want to be the target of internet hysteria, be very careful that no feature in your product can inaccurately be described by people on forums with the letters D-R-M... especially when it isn't.

Osmium 14y ago
> Their privacy policy prohibits sharing of personal data with third-parties That's good to hear. Based on what I'd read elsewhere* I'd thought otherwise. Still bizarre though. *e.g. http://boingboing.net/2012/11/07/razer-naga-gaming-mouse-requir.html http://boingboing.net/2012/11/07/razer-naga-gaming-mouse-req...
Nursie 14y ago
Inaccurate? You can't access the mouse settings without creating an account. Whether it's a cryptographic DRM or not is irrelevant - it's ridiculous you need an activation server for a mouse.
vacri 14y ago
If you read the article, it will tell you that once you've created your account, it will then work in offline mode, just as you found. But if you can't get to the activation server that first time, then no settings for you. Braindead design - particularly given how unforgiving and self-entitled gamers are as a demographic.
- djpowell 14y ago
  Yeah, you have to create an account by entering your email address and a password. That's all. I don't think there is an association between the account and device - the account is just where your settings get stored. I agree that the requirement to be online to use the config program is silly, but most of the conspiracy theories, talk of DRM, and vilification of the company that are flying round seem a bit overblown.
nathan_long 14y ago
>> It might make more sense for the driver to allow local configuration, and then sync that to the cloud I still think that's a terrible idea. Imagine scaling it: every device you have gets a separate account for syncing its settings to a separate site. If I wanted the drivers I've installed on my OS to be backed up, I'd want the OS to take care of it.

Osmium 14y ago

> Their privacy policy prohibits sharing of personal data with third-parties That's good to hear. Based on what I'd read elsewhere* I'd thought otherwise. Still bizarre though. *e.g. http://boingboing.net/2012/11/07/razer-naga-gaming-mouse-requir.html http://boingboing.net/2012/11/07/razer-naga-gaming-mouse-req...

Nursie 14y ago

Inaccurate? You can't access the mouse settings without creating an account. Whether it's a cryptographic DRM or not is irrelevant - it's ridiculous you need an activation server for a mouse.

vacri 14y ago

If you read the article, it will tell you that once you've created your account, it will then work in offline mode, just as you found. But if you can't get to the activation server that first time, then no settings for you. Braindead design - particularly given how unforgiving and self-entitled gamers are as a demographic.

djpowell 14y ago
Yeah, you have to create an account by entering your email address and a password. That's all. I don't think there is an association between the account and device - the account is just where your settings get stored. I agree that the requirement to be online to use the config program is silly, but most of the conspiracy theories, talk of DRM, and vilification of the company that are flying round seem a bit overblown.

nathan_long 14y ago

>> It might make more sense for the driver to allow local configuration, and then sync that to the cloud I still think that's a terrible idea. Imagine scaling it: every device you have gets a separate account for syncing its settings to a separate site. If I wanted the drivers I've installed on my OS to be backed up, I'd want the OS to take care of it.