Best / favorite Digital Distribution Service?

Since digital distribution of video games are getting more and more prominent in PC gaming scene, which service(s) (Direct2Drive, GoG, Impulse, Steam, etc) do you think offer the best value (promotion, bundle), best delivery (download), wide selection of games?

I know certain service model like GoG is more leaning toward niche market (old classics) and not really that comparable but at least among long time PC gamers, it's one of the favorite service and offer revived old games on modern PC at very good price, minus the bothersome DRM issue.

The other service that i like is Steam; while it had its own problems during launch years ago, distrusted by some, as well as complaint on the need of internet connection while gaming - nowadays more and more peoples become more acceptance toward Steam. Personally i bought couples titles such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R, and my experience of gaming using Steam client have been pretty solid.

Steam has the widest selection, but I like most dont particularly like having to run the client to play my games. Turns out being quite a minor thing when you wake up one day and decide that you want to play a game like, for instance, Painkiller. They have so many games that it's a good chance theyll have "the gold edition", it's a straightforward search, find, checkout. Youre playing within the hour. Selection > client or privacy issues, i seriously have started caring less and less about whatever information gleaning or supposed monitoring these companies do. It's all marketing shit anyway - ok here's my system specs and the last 20 sites Ive visited, have fun w/ that. Really, bfd. Send the Steam ninjas for me, you know.
And the resources the client uses has been pared down to that of a browser, still none is preferable of course but it's not bad.

I like impulse too, no client but limited selection. Ive bought tons of games from d2d, but theyre still in their virtual wrappers as i havent played them yet = \

Since my preference is Old school RPG's GOG is my primary resource followed by Impulse. I agree Steam has the greatest selection but I only use it if I cannot buy a physical copy from a store.
I might use Steam to get Risen if it doesn't show up at Canadian retailers within the next 2 weeks.

Shaf

Three things I dislike about Steam:

1. Their games are censored.
2. The games are only borrowed. Steam can at every time, whenever they like, for every reason they believe to have, cancel my account and make my games unplayable.
3. They offer optional online activation to publishers. I would prefer they don't allow this. Steam is already DRM. Two DRM systems is nonsense.

Most other services probably have the same problems.

1. censored as in games like The Witcher (US) compared to UK version?

2. I suppose that would happens if user done something illegal?

3. two activation indeed unnecessary

For today's games then Impulse. Simple, easy and I like Stardock's reputation.

For older games then GoG. You gotta love how they make it easy to play older games on XP and no DRM hassles.

I think Steam is horrible in pretty much every way it shouldn't be. It's slow and clumsy, and it defaults to weird directories that I can't really do anything about. It needs to run in the background one way or another when you want anything accomplished and downloads are not fast enough for me.

Impulse is the opposite and since those are the only two I have proper experience with, that's my favorite.

1. Censored as in "The German version has no blood!"

2. No. This happens if Valve says so. Whether or not their reason is true doesn't matter because the burden of proof os on you. Supposed they want to listen at all.

Remus said:

1. censored as in games like The Witcher (US) compared to UK version?

2. I suppose that would happens if user done something illegal?

3. two activation indeed unnecessary

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GoG for old classics
Impulse, if the game is available there.
Gamersgate, if the game isn't on Impulse
D2D, apparently, they don't have stupid extra DRM on games anymore

Steam, only for games exclusive to it, or some insane bundle deal.

My reasoning was posted here

Not so keen on steam as I've never been sure how well patches work on games since they're all running through the steam client. Annoyed by d2d for having games that I can't download in the UK, sure it's not their fault but it's bloody frustrating.

Not really used anyone else much, I just go wherever seems best at the time, there's no clear winner. Not tried impulse.

I have literally *hundreds* of Digital Download games. Loads from each of Steam, Impulse, GamersGate, Direct2Drive, GameAgent, GoodOldGames, EA Store, and likely others I'm forgetting.

I personally like Steam as I prefer to 'install in place' over the others' 'download and install' method, but Steam has its' own issues.

I would love everyone to be like Good Old Games, but hey ... that isn't happening.

Also, what I really *hate* ... is buying a retail copy of a game and having it *require* me to lock it into Steam. That makes it no different than a digital copy, really - you lose all 'right of first sale' stuff. Hate it.