Can someone please explain DRM?

JohnJSal

JohnJSal

Active Member
Alright, I understand that there are various types of DRM, such as install limits, online activation, disc check, etc. I also often hear about rootkits, SecuRom, how even after you uninstall the game malware is left behind, etc.

So my question is, what is the difference between all these things? I can probably live with limited installs and/or online activation (although I don't really like the idea), but what I want to avoid at all costs is installing damaging software on my computer.

If a game has DRM of any sort, does it always install this bad software? Or is it only the type of DRM that does specific things, like limited installs?

I've heard horror stories about three games I really want to play (Bioshock, Mass Effect, Fallout 3) and it sounds as if they have some pretty extreme DRM. I also just bought Tomb Raider: Underworld, which apparently uses SecuRom, but only as a disc check.

So at what point does it cross over to damaging software? Is Tomb Raider safe because it only does a disc check, or is it still dangerous because it's SecuRom at all?

It seems hard to avoid DRM these days, unless you just stop buying PC games, but I also want to make sure that there is "safe" DRM that doesn't leave behind all these bad things on my computer. I haven't installed Tomb Raider yet because I'm waiting to see if its version of DRM is bad.

Thanks.
 
As far as I'm concerned, DRM(Digital Rights Management) is there to prevent people copying from their copyrighted disks/materials. I have NEVER come accross spyware/malware etc being attached to anything I have ever had with DRM protection.

I guess I'm in a minority here as I don't use Apple software which is NOTORIOUS for DRM.
 
DRM and copy protection are not the same thing. copy protection is only a tiny part of what DRM is. Many copy protections do not install anything bad. SecuROM is a very popular (with EA at least) copy protection system that installs a driver on your computer that stays there all the time but it should not interfere with anything so no worries as long as you arent pirating games. Sony got in big trouble for installing rootkits on computers if you tried to put in a music CD form Sony productions, big trouble. Anyways, I doubt anything else will be installing rootkits because of what Sony went through. Legitimate copy protections usually try to be as hidden as possible and should not interfere with your computer use and are only used when the game is run (usually just to do a quick disk check).
If you want to know about the world of DRM:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management
 
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