As someone that uses the exact same comparison. I do try to make it clear that they are both valid hobbies but you need to be honest which your hobby is when picking a printer. For a lot of the Ender and similar printer owners they really do have a 3D Printer hobby specifically.
This fixation isn’t new at all. One of the most popular modifications to Prusa printers for years has been the Nylock mod to make your plate as flat as possible.
It does make sense, while most parts don’t take up the whole bed area, when you do need to utilize the entire space of a printer you dont want to have to struggle with it. Having a good first layer maximizes the chance that your print will be successful.
That isn’t a paperweight, that is a board in need of minor repair. If you don’t have the skills to do it yourself then find an electronic repair shop, they should be able to fix it for you pretty easily. Soldering on a new connector is like the most basic repair to do.