Stupid question, but I'm a bit confused.
If you don't connect your console to the internet, and so never download system updates, does this stop you from installing games to your HDD, or does the required update come on the newer game disks? Is this the same with the xbox360?
I always assumed (because it rather annoyingly never actually tells me what the update is doing) that the updates were either non essential GUI tweaks or patches related to online play for games. I never even considered the anti-piracy angle. The reason I ask is that I've just bought a second 360 to put in the spare room to play games which, by virtue of breaking a 'no visible cables in the living room' rule, annoy the hell out of the other half, namely driving games that I use a wheel with. I had (and have) no intention of wiring that room, or console to the network but not being able to install games to the HDD would be most annoying as the 'new' console is a second hand Elite which makes more noise than is acceptable in polite society when running games from the DVD.