World of Warcraft - English (NA) Forums -> Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using Linux

Tseric

Blizzard Poster

40. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:46:23 AM PST

We have been testing our security software with Cedega. Cedega was used and tested before the security procedures and during the security procedures. From this testing we have yielded no hits, meaning Cedega, by itself, does not incur an account suspension.

We have accounts of several Cedega users who have been playing normally during the time that these processes are running. Again, these people are not being suspended simply because of using Cedega or Linux.

We are in contact with the people at Cedega and following up with them regarding individual accounts.

To answer the OP's question, no it is not against the ToS to use Linux or Cedega. We continue to monitor the situation to prevent cases of false positives and to rectify them if they do occur.

[ Post edited by Tseric ]

How can I massage this intergalactic ulcer?

Awata

< Avarice >

Hyjal

41. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:46:59 AM PST

Q u o t e:

Right -> http://transgaming.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=41042

Blizzard needs a better appeal process. You can't just ban people because of false positives from your Warden.

Actually they can. THey are free to be as arbitrary as they like. They could ban everyone on your server and say it's because "We decided we didn't like having a server named Azgalor. And it's thier fault for creating characters on that server." if they wanted. It wouldn't be good business but it wouldn't be anything you could do anything about.

I've heard a lot of people moaning about "false positives" and Linux but I've yet to see anyone offer up the slightest reasonable explaination about how Linux may cause false positives for Glider checks....

Pwee

< Distinct Aura >

Onyxia

42. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:47:19 AM PST

OWNED

awww 2nd :(

[ Post edited by Pwee ]

Malthrin

Hellscream

44. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:47:38 AM PST

There's been a recent problem with Cedega that was causing a lot of crashes - apparently crash frequency is something that Blizzard looks for when detecting 3rd party programs. According to the thread at:

http://transgaming.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7197&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15&sid=8c472f8089feb817067a5d369b16fc7a

Many active Cedega users have been banned, while nobody using Wine has.

Not Eyonix's Alt

Necrosis

< Nothing Gained >

Whisperwind

45. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:48:46 AM PST

Q u o t e:
We have been testing our security software with Cedega. Cedega was used and tested before the security procedures and during the security procedures. From this testing we have yielded no hits, meaning Cedega, by itself, does not incur an account suspension.

We have accounts of several Cedega users who have been playing normally during the time that these processes are running. Again, these people are not being suspended simply because of using Cedega or Linux.

We are in contact with the people at Cedega and following up with them regarding individual accounts.

By all estimation of the facts, the OP's supposition is false. We continue to monitor the situation to prevent cases of false positives and to rectify them if they do occur.

Cool, glad to see you've done testing and are working with Cedega. I really hope this gets resolved -- I'd like to try WoW in Linux soon.

Ralden

< Anomaly Faction >

Kirin Tor

46. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:49:52 AM PST

Q u o t e:
Minimum System Requirements

Windows® System 2000/XP OS:
Intel Pentium® III 800 MHz or AMD Athlon 800 MHz
512 MB or more of RAM
32 MB 3D graphics card with Hardware Transform and Lighting, such as NVIDIA® GeForce™ 2 class card or above
DirectX® 9.0c (included) and latest video drivers
6.0 GB available HD space
4x CD-ROM drive
A 56k or better Internet connection
Mac® OS X 10.3.9:
933 MHz or higher G4, or G5, or Intel processor
512 MB RAM or higher; DDR RAM recommended
ATI or NVIDIA® video hardware with 32 MB VRAM or more
6.0 GB available HD space
4x CD-Rom drive
56k or better Internet connection
*Note: Due to potential programming changes, the Minimum System Requirements for this game may change over time.

No where does this mention linux. Linux would be a 3rd party program. Banned. Good day.

That says minimum system requirements. Linux is under the super secret unreleased Maximum system limits. Duh.

If you give a man a match, he will be warm for a minute.
If you set a man on fire, he will be warm for the rest of his life.

Therena

< The Illuminåti >

Gilneas

48. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:52:34 AM PST

Q u o t e:

Son 100's of could mean 101-999.

I don't know what they teach kids in school these days.

um...hundreds could mean anything.

2500 is hundreds

25 of them to be exact.

Kareas

< Veridicus >

Bleeding Hollow

49. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:53:35 AM PST

Q u o t e:
Nothing personal, but cutting Linux users out isn't going to have much of an impact on their income.

I mean.. I use a Mac.. I'm used to being a minority.

But you guys are an even smaller minority than we are (much smaller, actually), where WoW is concerned.

amen brother!

Thunder! Thunder! Thunder cats! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Numerodos

< Deadly Fighters >

Uldum

51. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:54:23 AM PST

Thank you for answering a post finally Tseric. I apologize for my hostility in some of my posts today, but I think you can understand the feeling of "being swept under the carpet" a lot of the linux users have felt today by having posts about the linux bannings deleted throughout the morning. Your post alone is more than my housemate has gotten, so some sort of feedback is appreciated... even though it does equate to a "working as intended" thing, like always ;)
I kid, I kid.

Either way, thanks for throwing us some kind of bone for now.. maybe his time on the phone will be worth it after all.

Aliya

< The Axiom of Choice >

Draka

52. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:56:04 AM PST

Q u o t e:

Actually they can. THey are free to be as arbitrary as they like. They could ban everyone on your server and say it's because "We decided we didn't like having a server named Azgalor. And it's thier fault for creating characters on that server." if they wanted. It wouldn't be good business but it wouldn't be anything you could do anything about.

No, actually, they can't be that arbitrary, not if they're suspending your account and not reimbursing you. And it doesn't even matter what it might say in the TOS. That's a law suit waiting to happen.

Tseric

Blizzard Poster

53. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:56:46 AM PST

Q u o t e:
I've heard a lot of people moaning about "false positives" and Linux but I've yet to see anyone offer up the slightest reasonable explaination about how Linux may cause false positives for Glider checks....

This is my concern as well. The opening line of the Slashdot article is:

Q u o t e:
Many Cedega (formerly WINEX) users claim to have been mistakenly caught up in a security sweep of the U.S. game servers performed by Blizzard's World of Warcraft Game Master (GM) staff.

The operative word in that sentence is claimed. Everyone is quick to point fingers at us for impropriety, but avoid the reasonable answer of "maybe they were using third-party programs to gain an unfair advantage". It really is a simple answer, yet it seems to be avoided, for the most part.

How can I massage this intergalactic ulcer?

Griner

Doomhammer

54. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:59:20 AM PST

Q u o t e:
Thank you for answering a post finally Tseric. I apologize for my hostility in some of my posts today, but I think you can understand the feeling of "being swept under the carpet" a lot of the linux users have felt today by having posts about the linux bannings deleted throughout the morning. Your post alone is more than my housemate has gotten, so some sort of feedback is appreciated... even though it does equate to a "working as intended" thing, like always ;)
I kid, I kid.

Either way, thanks for throwing us some kind of bone for now.. maybe his time on the phone will be worth it after all.

Ya. I don't believe everyone claiming to be innocent really is, but truely this shows that if people were wrongly banned, they will get it looked at and maybe fixed.

This should serve as a good example of what people can do by actually contacting Blizzard though the right channels rather then post on the forums at ungodly times of the morning.

I guess we will see what happens.

Marcellus

< Wendigo Brewing Co >

Skullcrusher

55. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 11:59:38 AM PST

Tseric, keep in mind that glider was written for windows, I'm not aware of any bot programs that could have been used in linux. Have you guys considered that perhaps they have a back ground process running that may have caused a hit with warden? Or perhaps it's the difference between Gnome and KDE? Or even as simple as certain linux distros got banned an others didnt? All I ask is that you dont ignore the linux users, I'm sure there's more than a few that got unfairly banned.

Mand

< Solitary Vengeance >

Rexxar

56. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 12:00:38 PM PST

Q u o t e:

This is my concern as well. The opening line of the Slashdot article is:

The operative word in that sentence is claimed. Everyone is quick to point fingers at us for impropriety, but avoid the reasonable answer of "maybe they were using third-party programs to gain an unfair advantage". It really is a simple answer, yet it seems to be avoided, for the most part.

Tseric, I might remind you (and the rest of the WoW community) to look at the previous Slashdot article which claimed "User banned from World of Warcraft for using WINE & Programmable Keyboard"

That, too, turned out to be false.

http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/15/1334241

Rizz

< The Dragonslayer >

Cenarion Circle

57. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 12:00:49 PM PST

Q u o t e:

This is my concern as well. The opening line of the Slashdot article is:

The operative word in that sentence is claimed. Everyone is quick to point fingers at us for impropriety, but avoid the reasonable answer of "maybe they were using third-party programs to gain an unfair advantage". It really is a simple answer, yet it seems to be avoided, for the most part.

Is your current sig indicative of your current mood?

Even my Moral Outrage is adorable.

Lazelle

Drak'thul

59. Re: Blizzard Bans 100's of gamers for using L 11/15/2006 12:02:26 PM PST

:( Does warden ban people for looking at adult websites while playing?

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