The downloaded version of SH4UBM contains SecuROM. We were promised that SecuROM would only check the validity of the download and then deactivate itself and have no further function. However, that is not the case.
Every time you start SH4UBM downloaded version (not SH4 Gold), SecuROM scans your running processes and checks them off against a blacklist of forbidden software. This list contains some totally innocuous and innocent software having no relationship to piracy, for instance, Microsoft's Process Explorer, a task manager replacement so useful in day to day computer operation that I wouldn't run my computer without it. If SecuROM finds a blacklisted process running you get:
Clicking on the "helpful" link, you get:
Isn't that cute? Actually they lie. You don't have to reboot your machine. All you have to do is shut down Process Explorer, restart the game, alt-tab out of the game, restart Process Explorer and:
Why look! There's the Process Explorer window clearly showing that there is no problem running it with Silent Hunter 4 U-Boat Missions. Why am I not surprised?
Time after time DRM proves not to be about fighting piracy, but about extorting money from the fearful and not so smart game companies. Game companies are the stupid people with deep pockets that support such tomfoolery, which, as demonstrated above, does nothing useful to protect the game against piracy. It only penalizes the legitimate customer. AND the game company by limiting its sales and killing its reputation among its best supporters.