If you've watched tech tagent's video on the digital decay of pc drm you know what I'm talking about and how much of a problem this is. Any computer software let alone games requiring online activation when the servers are no longer online, and if there are no patches to remove or update the outdated anti piracy check it's nothing more than a paperweight.

For example, I am trying to figure out how to get a copy of norton internet security 2005 working beyond the trial period. (yes, I know what you're thinking about norton in general so don't get me started on that because that's not the point) Internet activation doesn't work to no surprise. There is a phone activation but unlike windows xp and the microsoft office software that supports it, the phone number is not in service anymore. This seems to be a problem with all of symantec's 2004 and 2005 branded software but strangely not their 2006 branded software because I remember I was able to successfully activate a copy of one of their 2006 branded software over the internet.

I am here because for a lot of this old software the only real way to preserve this old software is to pirate it or apply a crack to it which is risky for obvious reasons and was wondering if there is a safe way to get old software like what I mentioned to work today. This isn't just limited to symantec software, I mentioned that only as an example.