I think the bottom line is that any form of DRM protection isn't for anyone, and will always be fought against. Having a consistent connection can be troublesome for some, while validating CD keys by hardware is bad for others.
I am ok with the constant connection form, which is why I have no problems with options like Steam and Battle.net, and I support those.
But no matter what you do, you can't find a way to get rid of piracy in
ANY way then to use a form that upsets part of your customer base.
Steam and Battle.net have shown that even with constant connections, you connect to a larger online experience that include friends list, achievements, chat, etc. However, that is simply one option to the fight against DRM.