http://kotaku.com/5008452/bioware-backs-down-from-draconian-mass-effect-authentication
http://kotaku.com/5008454/spore-to-use-online-authentication

EA listened to all the whining, and will use a one-time online check, not a constant check every 10 days.  You are still limited to how many times you can install the game, but I'm guessing it won't be very hectic.  And for Spore it'll check whenever you use its online services...not intrusive or abnormal at all.

I'm happy and you should be too.

I don't like the idea of limiting installs (after reinstalling many of my games multiple times, Diablo 2 for starters), but this is still better than what it was.

From your tone, you seem to act like the we didn't have the right to complain about its original measure in the first place.

Sounds like another "praise-worthy" news piece from Kotaku: You are NOT limited on how many times you can install a game, they're unlimited. But you can only activate the game on up to 3 different computers.

It's good that they listened, but with the limited number of installs gimmick (I have two computers: one is a laptop and one is a desktop that gets upgrades now and then) I don't think I'll buy either of them unless they show up on Steam.

thank god. This was actually convinced me NOT to buy the PC versions of spore and mass effect. Thank god they changed their minds, I can actually get the best versions of the games now.

 Ok, what he said.

Still, even if it was limited, I don't see the huge issue.  The biggest concern I heard when they announced this was "OH NO WHAT IF I'M AWAY FROM THE INTERNET!"  Since that isn't an issue now, other than the initial install, I would think most people would be fine with this.

In fact activating the game on more than one PC is more than a lot of games have allowed...many only allowed one activated PC at a time.

 And to play the game, I'm sure the activation would be required to do that.

 Can you propose a better solution?

Tell me right now.  How would you solve the problem of people reselling the game while keeping their own activated?  With console games if you sell it, it's gone.  With PC games you can sell it and still possibly be playing it.  If there isn't enough copyright protection, there will be a flood of pirated and resold games from people who can still play the game.