Let me just say that having purchased the Orange Box and played Half Life I firmly believe that this is an excellent game and well worth the awards heaped on it.
However,
Steam has to be the greatest pile of steaming nitrogenous compound I've ever had the misfortune of inflicting upon my computer.
For example, why is it necessary to update my games which have just been installed before I can play them, (As I type this I'm waiting for episode two to finish updating, 35% and counting)
This isn't helped by the fact that I have to connect to the internet to install the damnable things in the first place.
I'm fairly certain the reason for me buying the box version and not simply downloading it was because the internet oozes to me via a ridiculously slow ISDN line. Obviously it never occurred to anyone at valve that some people may not yet have broadband.
Anyway, rant aside, Steam is just another hoop us honest people have to jump through in order to play a game we have paid for rather than just getting a cracked version for no money nor hassle.
