EA's Origin - Current State

[Krantos]

So, it's getting to the point now where I'm considering downloading Origin. See, I just bought Need For Speed: The Run (shut up, it was on sale for $5). Problem is, it requires Origin to run.

W/e, I should have checked before I bought, my bad.

The question, then, is do I get Origin? Now, unlike a lot of people, I didn't swear off Origin just because it's EA. I resisted getting it because:

1. I didn't have any games at the time that needed it.

2. I heard a lot of bad things about their ToS and ability to datamine my computer

3. It was a new platform and bound to have bugs up the ass.

So, my question to Origin Users here on the Escapist is this: What is the current state of Origin? How true were the reports of what EA can and cannot record from your computer? What's the usability like?

I'm not expecting Origin to replace Steam anytime soon, but I wouldn't bee opposed to another DL client as long as it's unobtrusive and user friendly.

Thoughts?

 

[Smertnik]

Say what you like about Origin but it does have a few nifty features which Steam lacks, such as the ability to run most (singleplayer) games without the client or actual age verification, which German users have been asking Valve to implement for ages. It also doesn't have all that community rubbish (yet?); I really like the current simplicity of the client.
Can't tell anything in-depth, though, as I have only singleplayer games on Origin and thus only ever run the client for downloading.

 

[Kasten]

It's bugged me out of my only game on it many times.

And the indirect launcher doesn't work.

And Origin is EA.

But it's not inherently has evil as the other things they do.

Just a judgement call, mate.