What exactly is DRM?

[CrashBang]

Call me clueless but I play a lot of games, I own a PS3 and 360 and I spend a good amount of time on the Escapist but I do not have a clue what DRM is.
I've googled is, Wiki'd it and read articles about it and I still do not get it.

Someone explain it... please?

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Digital Rights Management is... well, it's a bit more than people think it is.

Basically DRM is any digital based scheme that enables content producers/IP owners to control how their property is utilised.

Most people think DRM starts and stops at copyprotection but it's much more than that. Region Locking is DRM, Provider Bundling is DRM, Closed Networks are DRM, and so on.

 

[Vakz]

Indeed, DRM is a name for any software created with the intention to stop whatever it is protecting from being copied or in any other way be distributed in a way that the publisher does not wish it to be. It is not a specific program, just like "games" is not a specific game, but a collective name for a type of software.

 

[CrashBang]

Right, I get it now! Thank you, guys, I can stop feeling all in the dark now. Awesome.