The point was even if the disc didn't contain the game itself, it allowed the console it was inserted into to connect to the server and download it without needing a key. If you got tired of the game, you could sell the disc, and someone else would just insert it and it would download again for them.

Putting a printed key in the package instead of a disc that will download the game completely kills your ability to sell the game as used, which is almost certainly the only reason they're doing it that way.

And who controls the DOE? It is not an independent organization. Are you aware of the Washing Memorial Reflecting pool disaster happening right now? No bid $17M contract was given to a Trump loyalist with no experience. The money was spent and now the pool looks worse than before.

Here's a thought experiment: Will you go to any lengths to excuse Trump of things we know he did?

It will suck more if these are poorly built. Given how Trump normally does things, I am confident that no bid construction contracts will be awarded to loyal campaign contributors who had no experience with construction. After billions are spent, these reactors are found to be so dismally constructed that they must be torn down and rebuilt.

So again you confirm you will not tell anyone what your grievances actually are. Got it.

The issue is the price for the performance and age of hardware. This hardware was much cheaper a few years ago as the CPU and GPU is many years old now. Zen4 was first launched in 2022 and RDNA3 in 2020. Right now multiple independent tests have the PS5 launched in 2020 as beating or equal to the Steam Machine that is priced at $599.Yes there has been more time to optimize PS5 games so maybe Steam Machine performance will improve over time.

I see you registered here 3 minutes before me. I remember when this place was hosted in Robs dorm room.

L3 is not used as direct communication would be impossible with today’s technology. A relay satellite at L4 or L5 would be required. There are no L4 or L5 satellites right now but L5 is being planned for a space weather satellite that monitors solar activity.

"Hateful virtue signaling" by using her full name?

So I take it you will not explain anything you mean. We are supposed to read your mind about your grievances then.

Two words: Government contracts.

Our IT team has been switching to Macs over the past 18 months or so. Started with the network guys, then sys admins and support desk people. Dev Ops and developers are supposed to be getting them when our machines are next refreshed.

For reference, we're heavily invested in .Net, Azure, MSSQL, etc.

Only if it wears a toga.

From what I can tell at the places I've worked: Macs cost a little more; however, they are only slightly more than business PCs. Remember large companies do not buy the cheapest consumer models from Dell, Lenovo, HP, etc. They get the business models. They are cheaper when it comes to maintenance. Incidentally one coworker with transitioned over to a Mac in one day. She had a Dell laptop and was visiting our offices for a meeting when her laptop just died. To fix her laptop would require a week to get the parts. It was a few years old, and she was due for a new laptop. But they only had Macs or the largest Dell laptops readily available at our offices. So they copied everything over to her new Mac.

[sarcasm]Yes because Steam 100% controls all the software that they sell. No one else sells this software at all like GOG, Epic, Microsoft, every publisher themselves, etc. Also no one makes PC hardware that plays games. No one at all.[/sarcasm]

It's $300 for 1.5TB more. Without part numbers we can't really tell it that is slightly more than component cost or not. A Gen4 or Gen5 NVMe SSD is around $300 though. Also performance and reliability is better if the SSD has a small RAM cache which adds to the cost.

I priced out a similar build for over $1,000 today. I probably could have saved some money by bargain hunting and waiting. That's the sad state of PC parts due to the current situation. Unfortunately the $1049 price is a deal today.