I'm not sure what the outrage has been at the need to be online (active internet connection) to play the SP version of HL2 or any other HL2 SP game or MOD
Simple...what other single player game does any one own that requires an internet connection for SP or LAN play? That answer is none...it's a given fact that lots of people are still on dial up and even for us who are on high speed we sometimes don't have a reliable connection for what ever it may be (Rain Storm).
Heck even Steam is going through it's growing pains still and I thought seeing that HL2 (was) supposed to come out next week that I was going to play the SP again to familiarize myself as it's been 5 years since I've played it.
Well there was a few occasions that I couldn't play it cause Steam was "down". When you design a product you want it to be easy and simple for the customer and not an inconvienence.