What is "Steam" and why does ATI want to install it on my computer

Every time I update my drivers for the HD3870, the driver package wants to
install this program called "Steam". I have always said no, but what is it,
and why am I being asked to install it?

William.

"William" <nospam@pacifier.com> wrote in message
news:EvGdnXTLeJFOnbTVnZ2dnUVZ_j-dnZ2d@posted.palinacquisition...
> Every time I update my drivers for the HD3870, the driver package wants to
> install this program called "Steam". I have always said no, but what is
> it, and why am I being asked to install it?
>
> William.

Hmm... Was "Half Life 2" bundled with your HD3870?

Luck;
Ken

Know what Steam can do to your system? Ever seen the movie "The Bone
Collector"?

--
"War is the continuation of politics by other means.
It can therefore be said that politics is war without
bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed."


"William" <nospam@pacifier.com> wrote in message
news:EvGdnXTLeJFOnbTVnZ2dnUVZ_j-dnZ2d@posted.palinacquisition...
> Every time I update my drivers for the HD3870, the driver package wants to
> install this program called "Steam". I have always said no, but what is
> it, and why am I being asked to install it?

"William" <nospam@pacifier.com> wrote in message
news:EvGdnXTLeJFOnbTVnZ2dnUVZ_j-dnZ2d@posted.palinacquisition...
> Every time I update my drivers for the HD3870, the driver package wants to
> install this program called "Steam". I have always said no, but what is
> it, and why am I being asked to install it?
>

Copied from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_%...nt_delivery%29
Steam Content Delivery
Hardware promotions
Steam keeps a record of the hardware in the computer it is running on for
various purposes, one of which is enabling hardware manufacturers to run
after-sale promotions directly to their customers. Both ATi and nVidia use
this feature: owners of ATi's Radeon video cards receive Half-Life 2: Lost
Coast and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch[34], while owners of nVidia's GeForce
video cards receive Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life 2: Lost Coast,
Portal: First Slice (a demo of Portal) and Peggle Extreme.

Both companies now distribute Steam installers as part of their driver and
software installations

"Fred" <bluser@***mail.com> wrote in message
news:68t6q5F2ulaqkU1@mid.individual.net...
>
> "William" <nospam@pacifier.com> wrote in message
> news:EvGdnXTLeJFOnbTVnZ2dnUVZ_j-dnZ2d@posted.palinacquisition...
>> Every time I update my drivers for the HD3870, the driver package wants
>> to
>> install this program called "Steam". I have always said no, but what is
>> it, and why am I being asked to install it?
>>
>
> Copied from
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_%...nt_delivery%29
> Steam Content Delivery
> Hardware promotions
> Steam keeps a record of the hardware in the computer it is running on for
> various purposes, one of which is enabling hardware manufacturers to run
> after-sale promotions directly to their customers. Both ATi and nVidia use
> this feature: owners of ATi's Radeon video cards receive Half-Life 2: Lost
> Coast and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch[34], while owners of nVidia's GeForce
> video cards receive Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life 2: Lost Coast,
> Portal: First Slice (a demo of Portal) and Peggle Extreme.
>
> Both companies now distribute Steam installers as part of their driver and
> software installations
>
>

See WWW.steampowered.com


Regards, Rene

Select a custom install, I believe you can uncheck Steam

"William" <nospam@pacifier.com> wrote in message
news:EvGdnXTLeJFOnbTVnZ2dnUVZ_j-dnZ2d@posted.palinacquisition...
> Every time I update my drivers for the HD3870, the driver package wants to
> install this program called "Steam". I have always said no, but what is
> it, and why am I being asked to install it?
>
> William.
>

On Tue, 13 May 2008 19:24:12 +0930, "Fred" <bluser@***mail.com>
wrote:

>
>"William" <nospam@pacifier.com> wrote in message
>news:EvGdnXTLeJFOnbTVnZ2dnUVZ_j-dnZ2d@posted.palinacquisition...
>> Every time I update my drivers for the HD3870, the driver package wants to
>> install this program called "Steam". I have always said no, but what is
>> it, and why am I being asked to install it?
>>
>
>Copied from
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_%...nt_delivery%29
>Steam Content Delivery
>Hardware promotions
>Steam keeps a record of the hardware in the computer it is running on for
>various purposes, one of which is enabling hardware manufacturers to run
>after-sale promotions directly to their customers. Both ATi and nVidia use
>this feature: owners of ATi's Radeon video cards receive Half-Life 2: Lost
>Coast and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch[34], while owners of nVidia's GeForce
>video cards receive Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life 2: Lost Coast,
>Portal: First Slice (a demo of Portal) and Peggle Extreme.
>
>Both companies now distribute Steam installers as part of their driver and
>software installations
>

So people like this for the online gaming benefits ?

<joey> wrote in message newst964454pdqv4f7l81s3ev7an35iksquri@4ax.com...
> On Tue, 13 May 2008 19:24:12 +0930, "Fred" <bluser@***mail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >"William" <nospam@pacifier.com> wrote in message
> >news:EvGdnXTLeJFOnbTVnZ2dnUVZ_j-dnZ2d@posted.palinacquisition...
> >> Every time I update my drivers for the HD3870, the driver package wants to
> >> install this program called "Steam". I have always said no, but what is
> >> it, and why am I being asked to install it?
> >>
> >
> >Copied from
> >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_%...nt_delivery%29
> >Steam Content Delivery
> >Hardware promotions
> >Steam keeps a record of the hardware in the computer it is running on for
> >various purposes, one of which is enabling hardware manufacturers to run
> >after-sale promotions directly to their customers. Both ATi and nVidia use
> >this feature: owners of ATi's Radeon video cards receive Half-Life 2: Lost
> >Coast and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch[34], while owners of nVidia's GeForce
> >video cards receive Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Half-Life 2: Lost Coast,
> >Portal: First Slice (a demo of Portal) and Peggle Extreme.
> >
> >Both companies now distribute Steam installers as part of their driver and
> >software installations
> >
>
> So people like this for the online gaming benefits ?

Wiki's info is misleading. Steam is a third-party driver -- not a part
of either ATI's or Nvidia's video driver -- and installation of it is not
required unless you choose to install certain game(s) that are bundled
with your card.

Also, be wary of that "various purposes". Steam is basically spyware
which tracks hardware changes you make to your own system.
Personally I dumped both it and the games which require it to run.
What I do with my own hardware is my own ****ed business.

"nospam" <nospam@comcast.invalid.net> wrote in
news:lpmdnapUzYFX9vfVnZ2dnUVZ_jSdnZ2d@comcast.com:

> Wiki's info is misleading. Steam is a third-party driver -- not a
> part of either ATI's or Nvidia's video driver -- and installation of
> it is not required unless you choose to install certain game(s) that
> are bundled with your card.
>
> Also, be wary of that "various purposes". Steam is basically spyware
> which tracks hardware changes you make to your own system.
> Personally I dumped both it and the games which require it to run.
> What I do with my own hardware is my own ****ed business.
>

BS. Steam only tracks your hardware if you agree to allow them to scan for
your hardware and submit it to them. You can run Steam in offline mode too
so it is impossible for it to "spy" on you in that mode.

"The Coward Robert Ford" <no@email.invalid> wrote in message news:RjDak.71715$gc5.61006@pd7urf2no...
> "nospam" <nospam@comcast.invalid.net> wrote in
> news:lpmdnapUzYFX9vfVnZ2dnUVZ_jSdnZ2d@comcast.com:
>
> > Wiki's info is misleading. Steam is a third-party driver -- not a
> > part of either ATI's or Nvidia's video driver -- and installation of
> > it is not required unless you choose to install certain game(s) that
> > are bundled with your card.
> >
> > Also, be wary of that "various purposes". Steam is basically spyware
> > which tracks hardware changes you make to your own system.
> > Personally I dumped both it and the games which require it to run.
> > What I do with my own hardware is my own ****ed business.
> >
>
> BS. Steam only tracks your hardware if you agree to allow them to scan for
> your hardware and submit it to them. You can run Steam in offline mode too
> so it is impossible for it to "spy" on you in that mode.

Now THAT is BS. Try installing Steam without an internet connection
and see how far you get.

You better believe it's spyware.