I've personally never understood why they insist that you buy distribution media to get an account anyway. (LoY and LDoN downloads notwithstanding.)
I mean, if my friend/roommate/significant other/total stranger/whatever has a set of the CDs, why should I have to go and buy a set, too? I think they should sell accounts online. That way I can just borrow someone else's CDs and install it, then buy the account key from the website and I'm good to go. Or if I already have the software and want a second account to 2-box, as many people do, why should I have to get another set of media that I'll probably never even open?
The typical argument that they want the profit from the sale of the CDs just doesn't wash, IMO. To sell the CDs, they have to buy them, which costs money, burn them, which costs money, package them, which costs money, print manuals and boxes, which costs money, distribute them which costs... you get the idea. They might make a small profit, but I'm sure it's peanuts compared to the profit they make off the monthly fees. Plus selling accounts online would be virtually pure profit.
And how many people haven't tried the game because they didn't want to front the money for the CDs? Potential market loss there.
But, then again, what do I know?
Just so I can claim that this post had something to do with the original topic, I would prefer the DVDs.