Mac DRM/CD Copy-Protection Issue

I'm not looking to spark another thread here that's negative or anything of the sort. Just to share something that was of concern to me a few minutes ago and would like to share my experiences and thoughts and wondering what the future holds for FM10 and beyond, considering the issues with phone activation for PC users this year.

Unlike PC users, I play FM on my MacBook, so copy-protection and DRM dictates the DVD be in the drive when I play. I don't have a problem with this, this is fine as I don't use the MacBook drive for other things unless I'm installing something I've bought.

However with the fancy advances in technology these days the disk drive is 'hidden', ie. I just push the CD/DVD into the drive, rather than the old drive of the day that would 'pull out' as it were. The scary instance for me was just a few minutes ago, when I realised that somehow the disk had gotten stuck, and the MacBook wasn't reading it. Thankfully I've managed to sort it but it made me think again about the whole DRM issue.

Had I had used FM on my PC, I would have (and had done at one point) just activate and play. This negates the need for the disk, but I'm not a big fan of DRM. I bought a MacBook and just prefer the disk being in the drive.

Looking ahead, I was thinking of potential options for FM copy-protection. Noone here is going to suggest that there be no protection at all (unless the argument is to say that it will prevent piracy). I've noticed that there are multiple purchasing options for FM for Mac and PC users now, not using buying the box but also buying the digital download.

This in mind, would it not be possible to embed a kind of activation key on the DVD, allow users to download the full game by digital download, and let the download verify the DVD as 'bought' and then it gives the simple option of playing without the CD? I realise my suggestion here might sound a bit stupid, I'm no expert so if I sound stupid, I'm sorry!

I just recognize and see now the advantages of both systems and surely it must be possible to accommodate for users with either preference:

You could keep the CD in at all times if its not been verified

or, you could verify it, and play without.

Had I not been able to get the disk out and put it back in, I could have been without FM for quite a few hours, which would have been devastating for me!

I'm interested to see what FM10 will offer, and I totally understand that at this time Miles and co. won't be able to say anything because it's down to SEGA as I understand(?). I just hope that FM10 gives users a bit of a fall-back, in the event something like I experienced just happened - or, like with FM09, users have problems with phone activation.

I know what you mean. EVE Online can work like this - you buy a copy in the shops, and can install it from the DVD and enter the activation code, or you can download the client and enter the same code to register an account.