[Joe Forster/STA]

Okay, so may I add my idea, too?

As far as I remember, there was a little program for Tagés-protected titles that injected the Tagés data into a plain CD image that anyone could create from an original CD with an ordinary CD imager software.

Now, how about the following?
- Buy the game.
- Register the game at the manufacturer. You get a URL from which you can download a small software dedicated to your game CD.
- Create an image of the CD with Nero, Alcohol 120%, CloneCD, CDRWin, whatever.
- Run that small software that injects the encrypted CD identification into the image you.
- Mount or burn the image with Nero, Alcohol 120%, CloneCD, CDRWin, Daemon Tools, whatever.

There you have another copy of your game that is, by definition, another original CD that is dedicated to you! Some more ideas:
- Want another backup copy? Burn the image again.
- Don't want to fiddle with a physical media? Mount the image, don't burn it.
- Wanna crack the protection? The CD identification is encrypted so good luck!
- Wanna distribute your backup copy? No problemo, but you'll get a nice kick in your @ss from the game manufacturer/publisher, as, based on the CD identification and your registration, the image contents can be traced back to you.

Joe