Balancing for PVP vs. PVE wouldn't be an issue if they made the AI sufficient that PVE mimics PVP. EVE has started this direction with "sleeper" npcs in w-space. Eventually someone will get to a point where NPCs foes aren't easily discernible from players foes - hopefully then the whole PVP vs PVE nonsense will settle to a dull roar.

So being concerned about the equipment I use to carry around a $5000 laptop is douchebagery? And I bet all of these haters drive Hyundais and dismiss anything more expensive as extravagant douchebagery as well?

I work for a pretty big company, and I know that our quotas/targets for 2008 (that were set back in 2007) were set without any consideration of a possible recession. So mid/end year we were slashing budget expenses to try and meet our profit goals. Now that it's 2009, I have a new budget to spend and I'm less worried about meeting my year end goals(hopefully no huge surprises in 2009). I think it's to early to say that people are "reinvesting" - companies just have fresh budgets to spend.