Chess, Openings, and Magic the Gathering

So...I often read people knocking chess because of the opening preperation people do.  Fishcer complained about this even back in the 1970s.  The argument is playing against people "booked up" on lines make the game uninteresting and it's unexiciting to see lines run where a new move insn't made until move 20 or so.

I want to know if you agree.

But first, my take is that the opening prepreation makes it fun.  Back in the day, my friends and I played the collectible card game called Magic The Gathering.  I enjoyed this game because half the game was constructing your deck beforehand, then honing it beat your opponents.  Half the game was your preperation at home (and the disposable income you had on to spend on Magic cards.)

I get a kick out of opening preperation the same way.  I find it enjoyable to craft an opening system and be a master of a certain line.  Even better, I like playing against an opponent, disocver their opening system, and then book up on opening systems that conflict theirs.  (such as recently studying the Balckmar-Diemer Gambit to take a Scandinvian player out of their own pet opening system)  The preperation for the game at home through studying openings I find fascinating and enjoyable.

But am I in a minority in this opinion? Do most peopel loathe the opening preperation of others or the vast opening preperation done by GMs?