To clarify, the original release of Oblivion was "DRM free". I don't know specifically, in this case I've only heard comments that it had no DRM.
The Game of the Year edition, though, had SecuROM on it. I don't know if the expansions had SecuROM on the install discs or not.

Shivering Isles has SecuROM on it.

For years i refused to look at anything and everything with realplayer involved for 2 reasons. Most importantly its the worst player ever created and makes your system run like crap. Also the crappy quality. I recently found out about a program called realalternative. It is a lite version of the player that doesn't mess with your system.
Someone needs to create suckurom alternative that just OKs all games regardless of the original requirements. That would be awsome.

I just find it sad that we're stuck relying on complete strangers with cracked .exe files to NOT get a bunch of crap installed on our systems. I mean, think about it...how utterly ludicrous IS that?
And yeah, I should have been more clear about the Oblivion editions. The original game and Knights of the Nine expansion were clean. Shivering Isles and collections released later had SecuROM, which no explanation ever given for the change (and, again, sales of the first two were very, very good, so it doesn't make a lot of sense).

Heh I've been playing PC games for years. They have always tried to keep people from pirating..remember "Look up like 8 on page 9 of your handbook to continue" or "Match this symbol on he wheel of symbols and insert the combined symbol to continue."
Of course you can also look at consoles: That's what a console really is, one giant DRM machine. ...of course then you have items like the R4 for the DS, which turns your system in to an endless game machine.
I don't think companies will ever stop trying to control their software. But I think they have it wrong from the get go. There is always that "user agreement" that states you are really renging code for 50 bucks a pop instead of owning it. Sure the wording might be different, but that is what it boils down to. I think software companies need to rethink how they approach the consumer.... you know like GOG does ;)

The thing is, no matter how much it might hurt them, they simply cannot do anything else than try to stop the pirates. It might not work, but it's not like not trying does them any good. You simply have to try.

But that's the thing, Azarr...the companies that aren't dealing in high end DRM (Stardock, Paradox, etc.) aren't seeing piracy rates any worse than the companies that are, and their sales are often better (in no small part because they release games at a more reasonable price point). So, if using SecuROM and the others gives you no benefit in terms of piracy rates and no benefits in terms of sales (pirates aren't going to buy games...it's that simple), then why use this stuff if the only people it's affecting are the people who go out and purchase your product?
deejay : I remember all of those goofy little schemes! I remember when they caught on to people just photocopying the manual for their buddy, so they started making printed code sheets in deep red and other colours that wouldn't photocopy at all. I can't remember what company it was, but I recall a series of games using a weird, convoluted code wheel where the game would tell you a series of letters and numbers which you'd turn the dials to, exposing the entry code for that play session. Some of it was just bizarre. :)

Well besides what I already said. I think it has already been pointed out that there are some people that decides these kind of things, that are quite simply idiots with no idea of what they are actually doing and for all we know actually thinks it helps. Either that or they are simply not willing to simply hand their games over to pirates.(Basically)

The wheel thing came with the gold box RPG's. I don't think I ever actually bought a game at that time and always had it copied for me or something. Then again I wasl ike 10, heh. Do you remember the pen that you could use to 'uncover' clues?

HAH! Another thing I had completely forgotten about., Man, they had some really, really goofy ideas back then, eh? :)
Azarr : Yeah, I agree with you. Oftentimes the programmers and game designers don't want DRM on their titles, but the corporate executives (who typically have zero programming or computer experience at all) insist on it.

The people who decide these things are not idiots, but their motives aren't always clear. Piracy is and always will be a problem for mass market software publishers.
Some publishers have realized that they can make money without using DRM. I think these are generally the smaller companies.
But the Big Boys like EA and Sony feel like they can't "pass" on a big problem like piracy. In order to earn and maintain their reputation as a big player. So they have to invest in DRM, to show the world that they are addressing a problem that clearly has the potential to impact their bottom line. The big issue is how many potential paying customers resort to piracy to save a buck that they might otherwise cough up. The industry probably vastly overstates the number of "actual" paying customers they lose to piracy. I don't the majority of people who currently priate would buy many games if the torrents were shut off. I doubt that any senior executives at EA think that punishing versions of DRM are winning them any good will or preventing piracy. I think they expect four things from DRM:
1. DRM (combined with lawsuits) shows the world that they take piracy seriously, even if they don't expect to win in the short term.
2. Conspiracy theorists figure they want to drive everyone from the PC to consoles.
3. The spyware functions of the DRM will provide information they want to see.
4. If they screw just one guy out of $60 bucks because of what was running on his PC, they feel happy. "Ha Ha, Sucker! No way you'll ever get your money back from (store name) once you open the package."
They can't punish the majority of the hackers and pirates that are lowering their profits. But they can punish random customers who fit a profile of someone who might be "piracy inclined". They're not worried about having to pay any refunds / damages, because they think that they can hide behind the EULA and their expensive lawyers. They don't care if they piss anyone off, because if you set off the DRM, the don't want you as a customer. They want to serve the unsophisticated masses who are barely computer litterate. Anyone with skill is too risky to have as a customer.

The thing is, I know people that were playing fallout 3 the day of or the day after it released..I should say they were playing it whout buying it ;) The people that buy the game are usually not the people inclined to pirate.
The higher ups in these companies tend not to be gamers, I think. They see a product that has to be protected and not the irritation that comes from that protection to the actual consumer. Maybe some have more sinister motives, but I'm not sure.
I understand the desire to protect what you created, but most of the DRM stuff goes way to far.

I agree emphatically though I seem to not have issues with DRM on the games I buy. Saying that, if a game has heavy-handed DRM I buy it digitally so I avoid the mess, though I think with Sacred 2 I'm still limited to 2 installs regardless.
Sony makes securom and that's why they promote it. Despite their mistakes they're viewed in the business world as someone to look up to, and since they use securom it has to be good, right?
EA has several lawsuits against it at the moment, and these lawsuits may change the scope and fabric of DRM in games that we play. If these lawsuits go the gamers' way, DRM will no longer be as intrusive and restrictive as it can currently be.
Imagine, DRM that doesn't report random statistics to the company who published the game you're playing. Potentially no more limited installs.
It's groovy if it goes our way.

No stats and no limited installs would be awesome, but you know you'd still have people complaining.
Videogames aren't the first or only medium DRM is used on either..remember early attempts at it in the 80's? They had that issue with VCR tapes where you were suppose to not be able to "copy" new videos...and people found a way around it.
People will always find a way around it; there will always be people (even if our governments goes stupid and start ultra facist crackdown of everything) who will find a way around DRM.
you think when Books were first invented, they were rogue bands of transcriptional breaking in to private libraries and copying books?
"Hurry up man, the priest is almost here! Get that page done..don't tear it out they'll know we were here!"
...just a thought, ;)

Maybe you confused them with Stardock. Looking forward to seeing what they come up with. One step at a time I suppose..well two if you count GOG. ;)