I have come across some people on sites saying like SecuROM is evil! It'll destroy your computer!. I really don't understand the big deal with it. It basically serves as a DRM protection thing that practically makes sure you have the disc in your computer and runs in the background. I have heard stories of it degrading their hard drive, but I don't believe them, because it most likely was a nasty computer virus, or malware.

Anyway, what are your thoughts about SecuROM?

Several elements of SecoROM work in ways almost identical to various forms of malware. It installs its own drivers does other low-level changes to the OS, which is certainly enough to cause problems if done badly or if it conflicts with something else in the system.

EDIT: On second thought, the driver thing may be me conflating it with StarForce. However, I'm still pretty sure it does mess other such stuff.

I recall something about it not always uninstalling with the software.

But I think there is a bit of a misconception with it. A few people I know think it is part of the whole Sony BMG CD rootkit thing from a few years back (basically sony was using DRM that was illegal and harmful), which it really wasn't

There are different versions of SecuROM, ranging from basic disc checks to installing some bad drivers to online authentication and downloads.

The disc checks aren't too bad, although there been examples of them degrading the game performance. For example, the original unpatched Morrowind made a lot of disc checks all the time, so when the first patch removed it the frame rate was raised considerably as the CPU was the focused on the game rather on performing disc checks. But still, SecuROM was acceptable for many.

Then around 2007 SecuROM started the the online authentication for games like Spore and Bioshock and that's when it really drew a lot of bad attention to itself. Gamers didn't like to be forced to verify online that they owned the game, nor did they like the fact that not all of the game was on the disc, but the game executable had to be downloaded.

Although nowdays online authentication is the norm for PC games, even if you buy a PC game on a disc today, chances are it require Steam/Origin/Uplay and thus have to go online at least once to be able to play it. Steam is the one who introduced this back in 2004 for Half-Life 2 and for some reason PC gamers love Valve, so it was ok for Steam to do it, but not when SecuROM did it a few years later.

Nobody likes DRM on games, especially when it makes games run worse, and/or causes problems as well, developed by Sony to run on the Microsoft Windows platform for PC games, which neither really company makes or supports, i like the irony!, i hated it on any games i played.

The problem with most DRM is that they may use rootkits. While I don't believe DRM software like SecuROM will damage your hardware, malware can employ similar installation and cloaking techniques. People don't like software being installed on their computers without their permission, especially software that is difficult to detect and more difficult to remove.

Simple optical disc DRM is tame, this type isn't used anymore. Most people hate activation-limited DRM which employs low-level edits to keep track of software activation status. Bioshock initially had a 3 activation limit AFAIK. Also certain software has to be deactivated before it can be transferred to another computer or installed again (even on the same computer). Adobe Photoshop CS uses this method.

DRM technically isn't malware, but to some it might as well be malware.

Certain anti-virus applications (Norton's) are infamous for employs similar functions. This is why certain versions of Norton's need a special uninstaller.