So for a few years now I have had this vendetta against steam, I always thought it was unnecessary and wasted my time and space. I installed it for the first time in about 18 months yesterday and I'm not completely sold... yet. I signed up for the free MW2 weekend, I started preloading it last night and when it got to around 50% I went to bed, turning off my computer. I come on this morning and notice it's started the download again from 0% and it's now 11GB instead of 4... well thanks for that. Then I launch a steam game and it took much longer for the game to start than the none steam version  that I have been using for a long time. Game performance is no different however but this way I get to play online, I'm willing to put up with Steam for online racing.  
 
So I checked out the store, there are a lot of games that I'd like to play but they are much more expensive than I can get the solid copies elsewhere. Do people really pay for the convenience? I mean seriously, £40 for MW2?

So for a few years now I have had this vendetta against steam, I always thought it was unnecessary and wasted my time and space. I installed it for the first time in about 18 months yesterday and I'm not completely sold... yet. I signed up for the free MW2 weekend, I started preloading it last night and when it got to around 50% I went to bed, turning off my computer. I come on this morning and notice it's started the download again from 0% and it's now 11GB instead of 4... well thanks for that. Then I launch a steam game and it took much longer for the game to start than the none steam version  that I have been using for a long time. Game performance is no different however but this way I get to play online, I'm willing to put up with Steam for online racing.  
 
So I checked out the store, there are a lot of games that I'd like to play but they are much more expensive than I can get the solid copies elsewhere. Do people really pay for the convenience? I mean seriously, £40 for MW2?

Steam occasionally runs sales, and games get marked down over time, but normally, yeah, you can find physical games cheaper.  
 
Just usually not at 3am.  
 
Steam is also a great place to discover games. I never would have heard of Mount and Blade, but it was on sale on steam and I tried it, and its pretty awesome. 

It's not 3AM here in the UK but I get what you mean.

Yeah sure you can get copies cheaper elsewhere. But the weekend sales and the Christmas sales more than make up for that. I got a copy of  Physchonauts for £1 in a midweek sale. I only buy it full price on steam if I can't get it or can't get it cheaper elsewhere.

I'm not sure if I would use it if it weren't tied to valve games and had its lovely buddy list, but it does, so I do.

" Yeah sure you can get copies cheaper elsewhere. But the weekend sales and the Christmas sales more than make up for that. I got a copy of  Physchonauts for £1 in a midweek sale. I only buy it full price on steam if I can't get it or can't get it cheaper elsewhere. "

Give it some time. You'll soon realize that Steam is one of the best things to happen to PC gaming. Also, just forget about MW2.

Here in New Zealand, Steam charges US prices in US dollars, which happens to work out about 30% cheaper than retail stores. In other words, Steam is the best thing ever. 
Some publishers have figured this out though, which leads to some shitty stuff. For example, Modern Warfare 2 on Steam costs $90 US in this region. Borderlands is $80 US.

Be careful what you wish for: steam can be quite the seductress when it comes to cheap-ass games. Before you know it, you'll have a dozen more games that you don't ever play, but just had to get because they were dirt cheap.

" Give it some time. You'll soon realize that Steam is one of the best things to happen to PC gaming. Also, just forget about MW2. "

I appreciate not having to dig out disks.  That reason alone makes Steam worth it.

" Be careful what you wish for: steam can be quite the seductress when it comes to cheap-ass games. Before you know it, you'll have a dozen more games that you don't ever play, but just had to get because they were dirt cheap. "

" I appreciate not having to dig out disks.  That reason alone makes Steam worth it. "

I appreciate Valve and all that it stands for.  The only thing they have let me down on is Left4Dead 2, which pales in comparison to the epicness that was Left4Dead.
 
Anyways, most people pay for the Steam version of games because you don't have to fiddle with a disk and you can download them whenever you want, generally don't need a CD key, and it's convenient. You will always have those games with you on your account for the rest of time!

A lot of places near me dont even sell new pc games anymore. Unless its warcraft or the sims