10th mountain, I agree, I wasn't putting SC down, I love it so far, and have been having a blast in multiplayer now that they've fixed the rubber banding issues mostly.  I was lucky and got into the first batch of players for multiplayer - total blast.  I've always said HTC could have made a fortune if they made a space sim instead of the WW1 arena, based on the claw and mothership alone.  Had they made a Battlestar Galactica type of thing for a few bucks a month - RICH$$$.  50 million dollars in SC can't be wrong.
Anyhow, 10th is right, the amount of content coming from the Dev's as well as the members is incredible.  Absolutely incredible.  Elite is a different sort of deal, a different style of game, and IMO superior, but just at this point.  Who knows what SC will bring in the near future, but I'm a believer.
75$ right now for beta access in ED is a fantastic deal, as I said, I spent double that, and it's been well, well worth that, so anything less is a steal IMO.