-- Along with the versioning scheme comes lack of support for older versions
Actually, 3.6.x gets security updates to this day.
-- The version scheme is a pain in the neck for add-ons, which depend on versions
Every add-on worth installing has long since adapted and anticipates several versions in advance. I've never had a problem.
-- Normal version numbers give the user information; the version number tells us whether it has had major features, bug fixes, etc. Firefox's versioning has the effect of concealing this information from the user.
Yes. Like I said, it's silly. It's also not a big enough thing to make this huge fuss about, much less to stick to old and buggy versions. In my experience, FF has been getting much better and faster.
The way Skype solves this problem is by identifying clients that aren't behind NAT. Those clients are used to proxy the media for other clients that are behind NAT. In other words, if you use Skype and you aren't behind NAT, there's a good chance you will be carrying traffic for those that are behind NAT.
That is not correct. The Skype proxy actually punches holes in the NAT on both ends so they can talk directly. See http://www.h-online.com/security/features/How-Skype-Co-get-round-firewalls-747197.html.
I did pretty much exactly this, starting in 2004. It looks like you have the opportunity to make this fun for yourself. Show some initiative and try something new. Off-hand, my advice would be:
The Mac also has a dearth of good code editors. On Linux, I really liked nEdit.
You claim to be aware of the existence of MacPorts, yet it never occurred to you that you can just use nEdit (or any other "Linux" editor) on the Mac?
The record companies wanted to raise prices, particularly on the one or two hits that'd otherwise sell an album but Apple refused.
Actually, Apple has been allowing that since April 2009.
God help those who do not help themselves. -- Wilson Mizner