Since there is no impartial third party report, and since it would be an impossible thing to accurately measure in any case I can't provide youw ith anything. I will mention that my comments are not my "opinion" as far as what I have seen, it is a truthful retelling of facts personally witnessed - the protection scheme in WindowsXP has dramatically reduced piracy in the several hundred seats I can account for it in across multiple clients and home users. And my experience is not uncommon - that is why many developers are moving to protection - not as a placebo, but because we see that it works when implemented correctly. Sometime go to a GDC (Game Developers Conference) and talk to the developers there about releasing a new game without protection - they'll laugh themselves silly. Not to please stockholders, but because they wouldn't sell NEARLY as many copies. Int he end though, it is onlyt he personal experiences of a stranger to you... you have to decide whether you think the major publishing houses of games, and several of the largest software companies int he world are all being suckered by snake oil. I know it isn't, from personal experience. GOOD protections chemes work; it's that simple.