Re: [pygame] Use of PyScheme for game projects

["Brian Fisher" <brian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 7/16/06, James Hofmann <jwhinfinity@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> For games I've implicitly decided to favor simplicity
> of implementation over absolute security, for reasons
> that are more ideological than technical.
I agree with this sentiment, but I think in the context of the
original question, it's kind of missing the point...


> 2. This is the exact same security issue the user
> faces when running any downloaded executable currently
> - without thoroughly scanning the code beforehand,
> there's no telling what the program will do. So while
> this solution is no *better* than running a downloaded
> game, you can't construe it as being *worse*. The only
> "trust" one can put in downloaded games is that of
> branding and communal relationships.
I think the reason people would like to have game engines with a
sand-boxed environment is that user made content encourages
"spoofing", where the submitter of malicious content gets to look like
they are someone who the end-user is more willing to trust (thereby
messing with the trust model). If "Safe to Download Games, LLC"
distributes user made levels, but "Shysty McShysterson" submits a
level pack that turns computers into a zombie box when they beat it,
then if the level testers post that level (which they might cause they
don't beat every level) then a bunch of people who trust "Safe to
Download Games, LLC" may get slammed. Thereby Shysty gets a chance to
infect users who would never ever trust him... and many users stop
trusting Safe to Download.

... but again, I agree that chasing perfect security is a bad approach
ideologically (because there is nothing inherently & universally
different from actions that are malicious and those that are intended
for good)