It seems that instead of fighting piracy theese companies are doing everything to promote it instead.

I don't know if I've ever installed a single game 15 times...

15 is okay. I've seen much worse limits although they shouldn't exist in the first place

Don't worry, I'm sure they will gradually lower the number to a more unacceptable level.

(if Killy is right they already have)

So? It doesn't matter if the limit is 100 or 1000, it's my game, I paid for it and I should be able to what I want with it without potentially having to request permission from a third party; especially a third party such as Microsoft which has previous form for switching off its DRM servers and doesn't even supply a revoke tool for GfWL activations.

Another worry about GfWL is that it only works in 26 countries at present. So anyone in the other 166 countries who've paid good money for the game won't be allowed to play online. Couple that with the usual SecuROM crap and it's utterly toxic.

It's not your game, it's your license.  You bought a license.

-edit-

And don't get me wrong, I think a lot of DRM's are a pain in the ass but I don't understand the constant bitching about them.  You obviously know there's a DRM that obviously bothers you so just don't get the game if you don't like it.  It's the same thing as if there was some part of the game you didn't like.  If you don't like it, just don't deal with it.

Publishers have to do something to protect thier property.  I'm not saying this is the best solution, but the thinking that if the DRM wasn't there people wouldn't pirate the game is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

so what happens after those 15 installations? you are left with an expensive piece of plastic?

OK, substitute 'license' for 'game' in my post above. The point still stands- there's the potential to be locked out of something I've paid for.

I've already said that I'll be spending my money on ME2 instead, unless something radically changes with this.

And no one's saying that no DRM will mean no piracy- you're just making a strawman there. What they are saying is that not only does DRM do nothing to stop piracy, the pirates actually get a superior version of the game without the crapware, while the people who've paid for the game get the inconvenience.

Supposedly, you contact Microsoft, prove you oen the game and they'll give you an extra key. I don't know whether that involves a free phone call or an international call; how you actually 'prove' you bought the game in the first place (do you have to produce a receipt?), and whether they'll give an extra key to a customer in one of the countries not officially supported by GfWL.

I don't think you understand what a license is...

Purchasing a license to something doesn't always mean that you purchase it and whatever it licenses you to use allows you to use it forever.  Some licenses do that but not all do.  It's up to you to be knowledgeable about what the license gives you (and you are) and then up to you if you want to abide by that license.

In this case, the license allows you 15 installs.  You aren't being locked out of something you paid for, you paid for 15 installs and that's what you get.