Evil Furby, I am one of those freaks who like to optimize my gaming machine to the max but I realize most players aren't. For most the few frames per second they lose is not an issue but for a freak like me it is. And yes I usually have my antivirus up and firewall unless I need to take it down for a particular reason. I have everything working great now, I can run Galciv as well as other games. But I did notice that something from the stardock download lowered my benchmark. And when I installed the retail version it was fixed. The purpose of this post is to inform the other performance freaks out there about the issue.

I did the CTRL-ALT-DEL thing and found a BUNCH of stuff running that I don't want!

I mean, seriously, I'm already logged on to Windows, so why do I need "winlogon" anymore? And I certainly never asked for "services", must less to be a "svchost"! I'm going to kill these unwanted applications that are slowing my system down.

[CONNECTION LOST]

If it doesn't bother you don't worry about it.

It doesn't.

Even it if did, several others have already provided information on how to turn it off and prevent it from loading.

Really, it's a non-issue at this point.

What a goof. You claim to be a gaming freak and know how to manage your background processes, yet you can't be bothered to look in the options to disable the SDC background process. Maybe you didn't know the option was there. That's fair, but now you do and you are still arguing with everyone that SDC's background processes are slowing you computer. Don't post stuff like "OMGz sTardok IS teh SPYWareZ!!!1!" without doing a little searching first. This kind of post can cause people to rethink purchases from Stardock, when you didn't know what you were talking about in the first place.

Stardock has been very open about all aspects of their software and it makes me a little miffed to see posts like this that could tarnish their reputation to new potential customers who don't know any better.


Edit: I just saw that you changed the post title and text. Thank you for doing that. Still realize that people have told you how to turn off the background processes.

Attila44, you said the application lowered your benchmark score. How much did it lower it by and what is your system spec?

I agree with Attila44, unwanted stuff that runs in the background = "spyware" crap, it's a general term. They should make sure the thing be turned off by default. I just hate the growing attitude that's it's OK to infest computers with background apps. Think of all the computer illiterate people mentioned before that will never know and their computer just runs slower and slower. It dosn't matter that's there worse things out there like real spyware, serious devs should make sure they don't add to the problem.

Maybe the title is a bit exagerrating but sheesh, can't stand someone critiqueing stardock???? Galciv owns and all and their great devs but that dosn't mean their made of glass and have to be worshipped.

Wow, I wasn't aware that a background process that uses <600k of memory and no significant CPU time was a massive slowdown. OP is over-reacting to this, it's not a big deal at all except maybe if you're tryign to play on a PC that is well below the minimum specs for the game.

*EDIT* And it's NOT spyware, no matter how much you want to complain, terminology does matter. Call it what it is, a background process.

unwanted stuff that runs in the background = "spyware" crap, it's a general term

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware

Yeah the language is what you make of it using contest etc, and:

In the field of computing, the term spyware refers to a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation _without the informed consent_ of that machine's owner or legitimate user. While the term taken literally suggests software that surreptitiously monitors the user, it has come to refer more _broadly to software that subverts the computer's operation_ for the benefit of a third party.

He didn't agree on having it run in the background and while not really doing any good to a 3d party it does kind of subvert the computer by making it a little bit slower, even if it is to make their program faster to load
.

Thanks zp00k.

I think its good that gamers, and all consumers for that matter question things like this. Shouldn't there be a prompt asking us for our permission before installing something that runs in the background every time you turn on your computer even when your not playing Galciv? Why not a little window that says "A new application will be added to your background processes is that ok?" giving the customer a choice. I'd like to see that.

I salute the fanatical stardock fans who were outraged by my post! You all should recieve a salary for your brown nosing services. I love the game don't get me wrong and this game is great. But at the same time I feel it is my civic duty as a gamer to protest anything that causes my FPS to fall. Due to the many deaths and casualties caused by a low FPS on the field of virtual combat. 8)


P.S. Ending the process tree every time you start your comp, doesn't fully fix the issue. The best way is to wait until you get your retail version in the mail, then completely delete the downloaded version and reinstall. And you can download the patch and bonus features without using stardock. It runs smoother and you will notice better FPS when you play other games. The techies can debate how, the historians can debate why, and the lawyers can debate the ethics. Meanwhile I'll be the guy behind the corner who fragged you while you were lagging due to excessive background applications 8)

I salute the fanatical stardock fans who were outraged by my post! You all should recieve a salary for your brown nosing services.

Er, how is it brown-nosing to point out the following facts:

1. All the background process does is help the program itself start faster.

2. It is optional and can be turned off, and therefore is not spyware.

3. Lots of other programs offer this sort of option.

P.S. Ending the process tree every time you start your comp, doesn't fully fix the issue. The best way is to wait until you get your retail version in the mail, then completely delete the downloaded version and reinstall.

Or you could, you know, deactivate the startup option and continue to use Stardock Central with no background process. As everyone's been trying to tell you. Problem solved.

Peace & Luv, Liz

Hi Jeysie.

Er, how is it brown-nosing to point out the following facts: 1. All the background process does is help the program itself start faster. 2. It is optional and can be turned off, and therefore is not spyware. 3. Lots of other programs offer this sort of option.

1) Wrong. The process runs all the time no matter what you are using your computer for while using system resources.

2) Wrong. Spyware as previously explained is a broad catagory which includes software like this, see the above link. And although it is "optional" (all spyware could be described as "optional" because people have the "option" of using anti-spyware software) the user is not told about it unless he happens to check his process trees. Imagine how many hundreds of background processes we could have if all companies did this without notice.

3) Correct. But does that make it ok?

Or you could, you know, deactivate the startup option and continue to use Stardock Central with no background process. As everyone's been trying to tell you. Problem solved

I answered that one in my last post right here:

Ending the process tree every time you start your comp, doesn't fully fix the issue. The best way is to wait until you get your retail version in the mail, then completely delete the downloaded version and reinstall. And you can download the patch and bonus features without using stardock. It runs smoother and you will notice better FPS when you play other games. The techies can debate how, the historians can debate why, and the lawyers can debate the ethics. Meanwhile I'll be the guy behind the corner who fragged you while you were lagging due to excessive background applications 8)

1) Wrong. The process runs all the time no matter what you are using your computer for while using system resources.

We're both right, it's running in the background so that the next time you want to start Stardock Central it can help the program start faster.

2) Wrong. Spyware as previously explained is a broad catagory which includes software like this, see the above link. And although it is "optional" (all spyware could be described as "optional" because people have the "option" of using anti-spyware software) the user is not told about it unless he happens to check his process trees.

Um. I'm sorry, but IMHO programs that do lots of malicious things to your computer, you have to use third-party apps to uninstall them, and the main program the spyware is attached to will stop working if you do install it are not in the same category as a program that does nothing but use a few background processes, is intended to be helpful (by letting you start the main program faster), and can be kept from ever running by simply unchecking one little checkbox without causing the main program to stop working.

3) Correct. But does that make it ok?

Sure. Some people like the option. For instance, Open Office added a QuickStart option to its most recent version because people were complaining it starts too slow, and many people on the forums for the Opera web browser have requested some kind of quick start option for it. Just because you don't like the option doesn't mean other people don't want it.

I answered that one in my last post right here: Ending the process tree every time you start your comp, doesn't fully fix the issue. The best way is to wait until you get your retail version in the mail, then completely delete the downloaded version and reinstall.

And my point is, there is no need to do any of that. All you need to do is uncheck that one box in SDC, restart your computer, and there will no longer be ANY BACKGROUND PROCESS WHATSOEVER being loaded, and you can still use Stardock Central just fine. You're making things more complicated than they need to be.

Look, you're talking to someone who likes to optimize her computer by doing things like going out and finding programs like Opera and NOD32 that take up less space and resources than their "big name" counterparts, cleaning out her startup lists, using LitePC to uninstall unnecessary Windows components, running a firewall, preferring "self-contained" apps to ones that install to the registry, running registry cleaners every so often, etc. etc.

There's nothing wrong with advising people to keep their computers lean and mean, nothing at all. But don't go around spreading lots of FUD while doing it.

Peace & Luv, Liz

The MCP program is not necessary for GalCiv II and is only used for a few of our programs on the application side (stuff that needs system tray access).  If it's on, you can simply switch it off in Stardock Central (Tools -> Settings).

Running SDC at this exact moment and no SD process runing in the tray bar or in the task manager besides SDC. I say that your story, sir, is a lie!

OK, guys, chill. Let me give a little more background.

SDMCP is not spyware. It sends nothing back to us, for a start, and isn't involved in collecting any personal information. At the worst, you could call it bloat, though even that's pushing it. Its purpose is to help some of our Stardock applications work by providing a central resource for things like system notification area (system tray) icon handling, as used by DesktopX and ObjectBar, as well as starting up Stardock applications without cluttering up the startup or registry. And no, it's not one of those that forces you to startup apps - you can turn the startup off from within each app.

That is all it does. If you do not want it around, go to Tools/Options in Stardock Central and turn off the two MCP options. It should not be loaded at the next boot.

@Attila44

You are offcourse aware about a little program "msconfig" to disable any startup programs one has either set in the registry or in the start up folders ?

As for people brown nosing, the first people asked what process you were refering to and you failed to answer that (Begins with SD is not really a good answer if you don't know what other programs other users could have running) Others told you how easy it is to turn it off, you failed to notice that (as indicated by the "can only kill it with taskmgr" replies afterwards) as well.

Lastly, you asked what it is used for (without specifying what the process is called) and I gave you a link for what it was. If you had read that link you would have known what it is used for.

And if that little program is decreasing your PC perfomance I'm pretty interested in your systems specs and list of running processes/services as it's real hard to believe a good optimised system is affected by it much. (And at a guess, SD would be interested as well so they may have a little bug in a very little innocent program).

As for the "SD" should ask the user if it's ok to install it, in part yes I agree with that. But it's non spyware non critical and doesn't hit the performance bad if it does at all.

If you feel attacked then I'm sorry you feel that way. But also consider your own wording in your posts, you come across prety hostile and without having done any research as to what the process is (google is your friend).

Just some clarification I want to give the Original Poster; if a process is on your computer, but isn't actively doing anything at the time. It doesn't slow the computer down AT ALL (except at initial load when it will for a bit... so you start-up time if a few milliseconds slower).. It takes up a little bit of memory, and sits there waiting to be invoked when it is needed. Once it is needed, it will take up processor time... But at that stage you actually want it to.

I am of course assuming that it doesn't sit there calculating PI (or more realisticly, some other computations) while its not doing anything, but based on what the process actual does, I strongly doubt that.

And, as people have said, spyware is used to collect information from the user and send then off without notice. This program does something completely diffeent.

Quite a misleading topic.

Also: I seem to recall some tests done on the 3Dmark scores with and without Stardock software running... The marks were actually higher with than without. It was over a year ago, so I couldn't find it again with a quick google.