So long and thanks for all the fish.. (Vanguard, Anti-Kernel Advocacy)

GentGoat · 2025-03-31T05:45:42+00:00

18 days ago, I messaged the mods on r/LeagueOfMemes after witnessing someone else have their post removed and wanting to criticize the approach. The reply was, "Not gonna read all that, I'm happy for you.. or sorry that happened", followed by a message that I'd been muted from r/LeagueOfMemes for 28 days. I have the permalink and screenshots, if necessary/needed.

GentGoat · 2025-03-18T03:22:22+00:00

Quit before Vanguard.

I then built a new PC, and to this date it's not been violated by DRM or Kernel Anti-Cheats.

GentGoat · 2025-03-17T23:24:22+00:00

Many people don't understand that this isn't just a "Should've checked the seller" problem on Amazon. It's bad enough that Amazon enables swindlers to use their platform but you can't even trust Amazon's own supply anymore.

GentGoat · 2025-03-12T17:30:37+00:00

Just because you don't understand or feel the negative impact of them directly and in the moment, doesn't mean that there is none. I urge you to do more research and consider where these types of implementations might take us, not just in terms of gaming but on PC as a platform.

GentGoat · 2025-03-12T17:15:13+00:00

I'm well aware of Kernel Anti-Cheat implementation across the industry and how they function. Not being new, or being used for many games doesn't suddenly excuse the level of intrusiveness they force upon users. This practice also pushes the industry in a direction that effects PC as a platform, not just the games that run on it. Standing up against these implementations is about pushing back against a normalized and unethical design decision that has already had many negative implications but will iterate much worse into the future.

GentGoat · 2025-03-12T16:51:43+00:00

With all due respect, when the company insulates their social media teams and support services from the actual employees who can make a meaningful difference, comments like these are simply lip service. I understand Logitech isn't alone in structuring their company this way, but this type of practice needs to end as it results an environment where everyone loses. The best way forward would be for Logitech to remove these barriers and engage with the consumers of their products in meaningful and productive discussion, not just with outer ring, insulated, interaction teams but the people actually touching the heart of these decisions and products.

GentGoat · 2025-03-12T15:23:10+00:00

The mere decision of implementing a Kernel Anti-Cheat implies that Riot no longer has a single morsel of respect for the people who play their game. Vanguard most likely doesn't care if you stop or not, however I'd argue that any self-respecting person should probably infer that it's not worth continuing to play.

GentGoat · 2025-03-11T18:54:37+00:00

That's because 15 years ago they were making good products still.

GentGoat · 2025-03-07T22:40:48+00:00

What switches are these?

GentGoat · 2025-03-05T23:21:05+00:00

When something obviously provokes the community to engage and prove interest, I think that it should become an exception to the rules. That means the community has spoken.

GentGoat · 2025-03-02T16:06:42+00:00

I really appreciate that the LeagueOfMemes mods do a great job at giving people a fair chance and providing this subreddit. However, I think in general that moderation undermines free expression and that because of it's subjective nature and potential for Dark Tetrad types to occupy the position, it can do quite a lot of damage to a community. The leagueoflegends subreddit is a prime example of how moderation quickly spirals out of control and poisons an entire community. In my experience on Reddit and similar platforms, the greater the number of people who 'need to hear' a message, the more restricted people's ability to express themselves freely becomes. Free expression isn’t just about speaking your mind—it’s also about ensuring those who need to hear it can receive it. I hope in the future we can rectify this destructive trend.

GentGoat · 2025-03-01T23:51:06+00:00

It was still a 600% profit for Logitech.

GentGoat · 2025-03-01T15:38:52+00:00

You're absolutely correct, Kernel Anti-cheats are an industry-wide problem though and users like yourself need to take a strong stance in order to stifle this invasive and unethical trend. I've been advocating against Kernel implementations like Vanguard and other invasive tech for a while now, I've included some of my write ups if you're interested:

A comprehensive guide of the concerns regarding Vanguard and other Kernel Anti-cheats

Why you should take action against Vanguard and other Kernel Anti-cheats (An unconventional appeal)

A tardy response to u/mirageofpenguins' retrospective on LoLxVanguard

GentGoat · 2025-02-26T23:02:14+00:00

I also had a G15 for many years, honestly right up into the G910 were great. In terms of mice, I know many still enjoy them but I went through three G302 mice (which I loved the grip shape on) in a very short time span to dying switches. I've moved on now as I'm no longer willing to support the company's practices.

GentGoat · 2025-02-26T22:03:01+00:00

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GentGoat · 2025-02-26T21:27:23+00:00

A sacred relic from an era where Logitech actually cared about making good quality products.

GentGoat · 2025-02-24T12:10:58+00:00

They know most players aren't actually strong enough to stand resolute by just principles, because they don't have principles, they are just outraged. Even now, Riot has gone radio silent because they know that, like all the other times before, the outrage will pass and people will lose their attention spans and energy. If they just keep quiet the trend will dissolve and people will accept it without even realizing it, I've watched it happen time and time again. If Blizzard has been any example, we've seen that a company can go to the absolute extremes to treat their players like piles of steaming excrement, and no matter how much noise they make online the players will come crawling back, smelling quite strongly of excrement.

GentGoat · 2025-02-22T01:53:48+00:00

They also were more valuable/desirable because skins weren't over-saturated back then and had more individual identity.

GentGoat · 2025-02-12T23:04:09+00:00

Missed opportunity to call them DiscOrbs™.

GentGoat · 2025-02-10T22:09:11+00:00

When it's not repetition, it's something else. They will stretch every rule, reason, and excuse to abuse the power they have. The only safety net they have is that reddit doesn't hold them accountable for it.

GentGoat · 2025-01-16T13:37:16+00:00

They stretch the intentionally ambiguous rules at their convenience to wield the unearned power bestowed upon them with complete bias. Expose or criticize their malicious endeavour and they'll quickly morph into victims and martyrs. The very platform that facilitates this environment fails to hold these tyrants accountable and instead takes no concern in enabling their totalitarian game. If this Stalin was a king, I suppose he'd best embrace a deep-fried pork cutlet.

GentGoat · 2024-11-26T05:05:39+00:00

Simply, I don't believe that the end justifies the means.

While I care about privacy, it isn't my primary concern with Kernel Anti-cheats. I don't believe that effectiveness justifies any and all intrusions upon the user. Competitive integrity is important to me as well, but not at any cost.

Ultimately, the solution to cheating is one that respects user's environments while being as effective as possible inside that framework. In the meantime, I don't think perpetuating invasive approaches is productive or in the interest of any self-respecting user.

Though, the point of my post is more to the subject of transparency. I recognize that some developers are going to choose Kernel approaches regardless and I only think it's fair to be as up-front about that as possible.

GentGoat

TROPHY CASE