amok: ...in Steam, for example, each game folder contains a file which tells which registry keys needs adding, and which software needs installing (if any, not all games needs registry keys). which is more than can be said of gOg games... in many ways, the DRM free games on Steam are more future proof because they have this list, and are not wrapped in a second layer (the installers) which may or may not break at some point in time, making the game 'worthless'.
what you are talking about is convenience and easy of use - an automated process. I have not seen a definition of DRM free yet which says - "it has to be convenient and easy to use to be DRM free".
You seriously would expect the normal user to manually edit the windows registry with some values found in some folders and other stuff in order to install a video game they bought?
I don't think this falls into the convenience category. A game that hasn't an executable bundled that does this kind of stuff is not delivered fit for purpose, I would say.
If however, there would be a stripped down version of the Steam client that doesn't phone home but does all the install steps described in these files from downloaded and backup-ed data, I would be happy to call that DRM free, because it would be for all purposes equivalent to the GOG standalone installers. But there isn't.
It's not really about convenience if you ask for an installer.