Yes, I think even building a completely self-sufficient city in a desert on Earth, with the ability to build its own equipment including computers may be beyond

Yes, I think even building a completely self-sufficient city in a desert on Earth, with the ability to build its own equipment including computers may be beyond us at this point. Obviously it would be a lot easier than doing it on the Moon or Mars, but too much of the technology that would be needed is locked up in trade secrets. There's plenty of 3D space available at the surface of the Earth; it's not exploited either because it's not profitable or because government rules prevent it. Who wants to live in a desert in the middle of nowhere? But they want to live on Mars? It would get old fast, especially with such a laggy Internet connection.