[DirectorTsaarx]

I'm going to reach a ways back in this thread and answer a point that someone made (too lazy to find the right person now, and don't want to make this personal anyway):

Regarding how unfair it is that we law-abiding citizens who actually buy the real game end up paying extra to cover the cost of pirated/stolen/etc. Versions: EVERY SINGLE THING you buy has this hidden cost added in. Every store (both brick & mortar and Internet) adds a certain amount to the cost of each item to cover the losses due to theft. Shoplifting from brick & mortar stores leads to that store raising prices to cover the losses, just as pirating leads to software companies raising prices to cover losses. Some places are just more honest about this practice than others.

Just an observation.

BTW - regarding the rebate offer: since I live in the US, it's not a terrible hardship to send a copy of my CD back, so I'm not terribly bothered by the idea. Especially since I don't have to send it back until I get the new CD, which will replace the old one (I don't do PBEM or PBW, so the "original" Version wouldn't do much for me). But I can see how it would be a hassle for non-US players, and I sympathize. I wish I had an answer that would help the situation.