Blu-ray might've not been good at first, since it increased the cost of the console. In the long run, it was good for the console. PS3 is very much a multimedia machine, and without the emerging Blu-ray format it would lose some of that status.

I don't think I've seen anyone argue that the Cell processor was a good thing. It was costly, and hard to develop for. It's still baffling that Sony went with it. It also made it extremely difficult for backwards compatibility. As such, there's no true backwards compatibility on the PS4. I don't see any future PlayStation console having PS3 backwards compatibility because the effort would not be worth it.

Well, not any more; I remember some folks last generation defending the Cell and insisting it was justified by the performance of games like Uncharted 2 and God of War 3.

This is why I am thinking build a PC instead of next gen consoles, I will save money in the long run with cheaper games, free online and cheaper to upgrade in the future (don't need to buy the whole machine again just some parts). But mostly because I can sell my MacBook and that alone can pay for my PC.

Then it will be great to have such a huge library of games automatically enhanced. Imagine going back and play 20 year old games in much better graphics, even emulators. And then PCs run all media you could have, all codecs, my ps4 doesn't even run HEVC for example.

Also if you want VR, PC is way ahead.

With PC I have the option to pay more for better specs, I am not forced to whatever console makers decide. Best of all, I can invest in a good cooling system, because I struggle hard this generation with loud consoles, I replaced the ps4 several times because of that. 

The best of PC is being able to chose settings, I'd rather have good AA over resolution, which for me AA gives me a better image at 1080p, than no AA at 4K.

With PC I have the option, all monitors these days have HDMI, and all PCs these days accept a controller, so I can just use the same pro ps4 controller I already have.

Tired of all these remasters, remakes, ports and so on, I'd like to buy the games and never have to rebuy them, automatic enhancements when I buy a better graphics card.

Ill be more interested in knowing what would have been the case if the XB1 came out the gate without Kinect Bundled and without the bad PR and DRM? Because it had some great early titles like Killer Instinct, Forza 5, Titanfall, Ori and the Blind Forest and Dead Rising 3 just to name afew.

whatever you say, but dont do criticism for downgrades in this gen, like i said before: "The Wii outsold the PS3 and X360, despite being an overclocked Gamecube"

which the Wii proved that people dont care about specs and another reason why the PS4 is underpowered

From a company POV? I would say yes. At least in hindsight and supposing if both weren't there it could have sold much better and profited a lot more.

Well the biggest mystery would have been is how would have the PS4 turned out if not for what they did with the PS3, If PS3 played it safe, woudl PS4 been the one that did something cray and now suffered sales?

The only thing for certain if the PS3 was standard and priced at 399 is that Nintendo like every generation, bugger all 3rd party support lol

It's not like the Wii was overflowing with PS3/360 ports in the first place. I don't see why it still wouldn't have gotten the mid-tier/AA third party games that it did historically.