Id like to start to say that my copy of BD has no problems at all with starforce. However every time i have finished playing a session i use SFclean.exe to remove it from my system or it acts sluggish. Starforce will install itself automaticaly anyway next time you try to run the game. But its annoying that it requires a reboot after every clean.
But the point i wanted to make is that for halflife 2 thats about to be released now they have already started to sell it in stores. But they have a new kind of copy protection. Kinda the same thing that Microsoft uses. They require people to log on to STEAM and get an authentication key to be able to even install the game let alone run it. Then during regular intervals during the game it will be checking for auth keys so you need to keep your connection to steam while you ´play. So while people have their copies of the game now they cant play it yet as the official release of the game over the internet authentication hasnt taken place yet.
This has caused an even larger outcry than starforce as this requires people to have an active internet connection to be able to play HL2. People without an internet connection will be wasting their money if they buy it.
Also after all the hype and such around HL2 valve havent even included a manual with the game. Not even as a PDF file <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Cheap.
So i dunno about the rest of you, but i prefer The halflife 2 version of copy protection personaly as it wont affect my system negatively the way Starforce does. But of course people without an internet connection wont be as happy with it. I guess you cant please everyone. But for an overhyped title as HL2 i somehow doubt people will claim that they refuse to buy it cus of the protection.
Whats your opinion? :P
edit:
Just wanted to add that another area where this kind of protection is used is in industrial design programs like alias studiotools. We use that at the university over here and every licence costs 30000 dollars. This program will require you to have a TCP connection to the internet to be able to render anything at all :P
