Is there such a thing as "good" anti-piracy software in games? The topic has been pushed back into the spotlight recently thanks to the PC game "Spore."

Electronic Arts, the game's publisher, originally imposed rather draconian limits, including preventing buyers from installing the game on more than three computers.

That has been relaxed, but EA hasn't backed down from its stance that so-called digital rights management software reduces piracy.

There's no denying that piracy is a problem, particularly when it comes to PC games. The piracy protections on consoles tend to be much more rigorous, in some cases requiring players of pirated games to physically open and modify their systems to play the software.

What piracy does occur is almost surely overstated.

Tech site Ars Technica recently did an investigative story on the piracy numbers that are often bandied about ? 750,000 lost jobs and $250 billion in lost sales across all industries ? and showed how they are based on little or no actual research, and that the true numbers are likely much lower.

Even so, piracy is a real problem. One of the reasons game makers are abandoning the PC in favor of consoles is that piracy is much less prevalent on the console side.

But given how imperfect anti-piracy software is ? "Spore" was easily cracked and posted on piracy sites ? the only demographic really inconvenienced by DRM is paying customers.

If you download the pirated copy of "Spore," you don't have to worry about how many computers you can install the game on. But if you buy the legit version, the installation limit is potentially a real problem.

Given that there are always going to be losses from piracy, it seems publishers would be better off not wasting their time and their customers' patience on easily circumvented protection.

Unless someone develops anti-piracy software that is simultaneously bulletproof and completely transparent, just go without the anti-copying restrictions.

Given that no other segment of the entertainment industry has opted to go that route, it seems unlikely game makers will strike off on their own.

But here's hoping.
DJ Norix Reviewed by DJ Norix on . Anti-piracy software creates more problems Is there such a thing as "good" anti-piracy software in games? The topic has been pushed back into the spotlight recently thanks to the PC game "Spore." Electronic Arts, the game's publisher, originally imposed rather draconian limits, including preventing buyers from installing the game on more than three computers. That has been relaxed, but EA hasn't backed down from its stance that so-called digital rights management software reduces piracy. There's no denying that piracy is a Rating: 5