It may seem pedantic to you, but network effect creates a benefit, not a cost. That may create an opportunity cost for those not in the network, but it's not a direct cost. This distinction is actually very important.
Also, how did I imply network effect doesn't exist? Where did I say anything that you're implying I said? You're trying to strip out the network effect from this theoretical product and I'm saying you can't. Something can be superior simply bc of its network. Take the most obvious example, the internet. Where is your outrage? TCP/IP sucks. BGP sucks. But we embrace these things nonetheless because of the (literal) network.
This extends from computers to anthropology to biology. You're trying to make an apples to apples comparison assuming no network effect and I'm saying that's pointless.
