You always need to run the Steam client to play games on Steam. That alone is some nasty DRM.

Running the Steam client has never affected me negatively, so I wouldn't call it nasty.

Any system that forces users to run background applications in order to verify software is intrusive. My objection to Steam is less about performance and more about principle.

Not counting the fact that Steam itself is DRM, there are DRMs on Steam.
Wec do you have a screenshot of your account being disabled?

I would. Scrap that. I do.

What sort of notice was it that the account was disabled? Just a generic "This account has been disabled, contact support for more information" style popup?
Seriously man, write a letter of complaint about the bad customer service. A lack of apology, lack of explanation and a lack of assurance that they're working on not having it happen again is a very poor show from a business when they've screwed around a legitimate customer

I use Steam to communicate with people, so I have it open even when I know I'm not going to play any games. It only uses about 12mb of memory, so it's not like it affects my performance.
Oh well, different strokes for different folks, I suppose.

Thanks, do you mind if I use that picture to prove a point I'm making on another forum about Steam's evil? I will blank out all important details like name and what not.
Also, great video. I'd disable the comments on Youtube if I were you though. Too many idiots who don't use their cranium when posting.

and really need to get that youtube virus

I'll disable the comments when it's important, go ahead and use it.
Yes, that's what happened.

I'm not into the social aspect of gaming and multiplayer doesn't interest me either.
I kinda always resented the fact that i have to have the damn thing running in order to play my sp games on general principle alone.
But fair enough, different strokes for different folks.
I do admit it's an easy way to get games, and i do see the perks regarding multiplayer and whatnot, but for me the damn thing is just plain nasty :)

Letter of complaint time. Tell them that this incident and a complete lack of satisfactory resolution has put too much of your investment at risk to justify spending additional money on the service

I just had to reply to this.
Once, I had to live without internet for a few days. I wanted to play some games that I bought using Steam so I fired it up. Steam said that there was no internet connection and it gave me the option to play offline. Lo and behold, it wouldn't let me open it because it needed internet connection to update some user info. Let me repeat myself: It needed internet connection to enter offline mode!
That's what made me stop using Steam.
EDIT: Oh and I couldn't open the game directly because it would tell me that I need to open Steam first.

No. What are you trying to accomplish with it? It's just you typing in notepad making the same point about Steam games not running when not logged in over and over.