No, not a furry.  It's the panda from the Panda bread commercials that gets mad easily.  I do know a couple furries, ironically they're from Stardock's neck of the woods- I think Michigan is furryland for some reason.

As for the mom and pop places- Gamestop drove them out of business here.  We got another place trying (if you live in Central NC, look up Lost Arc Video Games and Arcade- it's good for both, especially for old Sega and SNK stuff)

That said, the whole "why should others get off easier comment" reeks of Stockholm Syndrome- like the 53% idiots you see running around (except for the folks trolling that site)

The Stockholm syndrome is about liking your kidnappers. Be clear what you mean. It's also late here so can't think that much.

What is 53% idiots?   Never heard of that.

I was going to let this go as it isn't really apropos the thread, but I just can't. 

Capitalism isn't ruining the game industry.  Consumers are.  If a company's actions weren't profitable, they wouldn't do them.  They're profitable because consumers go along with each dumb new gimmick.  

It's idiot consumers who run out and buy something because of the name on it that are "ruining" the game industry.  It's people that are willing to buy Madden 2012 despite the fact they own Madden 2011 because the 2012 version has three new animations, updated rosters, and a signed Tony Romo jockstrap. 

And I realize it was probably hyperbole, but lets not start legislating crappy products just because people are too lazy/dumb/willfully ignorant to bother reading a review or trust a company's track record.  How many franchises were acquired by EA and promptly destroyed before C&C?  Couldn't anyone see that coming? 

There's a reason we all support Stardock and are all suspicious of anything published by Ubisoft. 

This is why I'm using my capitalist vote and no longer purchasing from Impulse/Gamestop.  It pains me to be stuck with only Steam for most new games, but that's what it is. 

Yes. Capitalism is a system that includes consumers and producers. The systems I see in our world disappoint me. I agree with everything you said. 

Proof that consumers don't go along with each dumb new gimmick.

It's profitable for the company when they can eliminate all that overhead and labor. They force you to have to come to them through whatever venue they set-up. It's the consumer that decides which venue they want to use out of what options they have had forced upon them.

Stardock didn't switch from putting their desktop software on CD's to downloading on line because they were looking for a gimmick. It's more profitable. The difference is how it's done, with or without respect for the consumer.

Gamestops problem is they run their online service like they run their stores. Overloaded with crap, ads, crap, and more ads. Clutter. Incompetence. They take a well designed and thought out platform like Impulse and turn it into everything I hate about walking into one of their shops. They could fuck up a fart in paper bag if you handed them one.

I smell a spin-off of The Office here. 

Eewww!

um... is it possible to move games from impulse to steam?

i mean, i only have the 2 on impulse... sots:ce and ewom. whereas i have a few (not many!) more over in steam.

since e:fe (or at least the beta?) might be had from the new stardock central thing which means no need for impulse, i'm hoping ewom can be done via that too... which leave sots:ce on impulse only.

basically boils down to, having 1 account is better than 2, 2 better than 3.

Moving games to Steam depends on the game.  SPAZ allows it.  Other games may not.

how would it work or how would i find out which one is allowed?

You'd have to contact the company that made the game and ask them. Some of them will revoke your Impulse version and give you a Steam activation key. Others won't.

I'm in the same boat here, there's really no reason to have Impulse now except some stuff I bought in the past is locked to it (Sins & Mass Effect 2 are the two I'd really miss). But going forward I don't see why I'd buy anything from Gamestop.

You can probably put your ME2 on Origin if you so desire. And we're working on the new SDC as well.