Luckily for you, you probably have an imagination and can use the huge number of resources already available for 3.5 and play D&D forever. I happen to play and enjoy 4th edition, but other than the core rule books and a couple updates, I haven't had to get anything new in years, and likely never will.

The Roku is also vastly underpowered to do anything with a web browser (on purpose - Roku strives to be simple and cheap), and yes, they probably do need to keep cozy with content providers, for various reasons. Roku's got by far the largest variety of channels, so they're doing something well. And don't fool yourself - NONE of the set-top boxes (that aren't also HTPCs) will play regular Hulu or anything else that's specifically "web only". Right or wrong, that's just how things are going with content right now.

The Roku is closed in some ways, but it has an open SDK for channel development, and will soon have (or may now - I haven't been following that closely) an open SDK for gaming development. There are already several dozen games made specifically for the gaming box (and dozens more that work with any of the rokus).

Or, you know, they could use a webmail service.

I bought myname.com about ten years ago, but it forwards to whatever project of mine I feel is most important at the time, i don't use it for email. For that, I use an email address I set up on a domain I got in '97 (and access that through gmail's web interface now). I ran my own server for a decade before realizing google would do it for me, and save me all sorts of problems.

Neither of those approaches is easier than (or necessarily better than) letting Gmail's spam filter handle your mail.

That would only be true if you send all encrypted email to only people using private, encrypted servers. Since the rest of us live in the real world where our friends and family use large webmail services, it really doesn't make a difference.

Plex requires separate server software, as the Roku isn't DLNA compliant and doesn't read (and stream from) network shares on its own.

Sure, but they're on-demand cords, have no long-term contracts or extra equipment, and they're very, very cheap compared to even a basic cable or sat package.

Even an official channel that still requires you to set up a server on a local machine and transcode video on the fly is a hack, even if it's a supported one. Plus if you don't have a machine that's good/fast for that task, you run into some problems.

I love my Rokus very much, but it's still a hack to have to do all that.

As it stands right now, an HTPC is going to do the most separate functions, but it's not necessarily the best option for all services. Here's my cord-cutter setup, and it works great for me:

Roku for Amazon, Hulu+, Netflix: Clean interface, super low-power, remote easy enough for my daughter to learn at 4. You also get the 300+ other channels for Roku, plus a bunch of awesome private channels (and the ability to create your own, if you're so inclined). It's NOT a local streaming machine, though it's possible via a variety of hacks. Overall, we use this the most.

HTPC for DVR functions and various internet stuff: I like Windows Media Center, but there are a bunch of different free flavors out there, depending on what hardware and software you're using. It's a great DVR for our OTA signal, plays every format available for downloaded stuff, and handles DVD rips by default. It's also the best way to play the stuff that content providers won't allow on Roku-style set-top boxes, like standard Hulu. Oh, and it does music, too, of course.

TV Tuner for OTA: I use my HTPC for this sometimes, but really like the speed and ease-of-use of using the built-in TV tuner. YMMV.

The main point here is that no one device is necessarily going to do everything you want it to, or not in the way you want it. A HTPC is the most versatile, but not always the prettiest or easiest for everyone in the family (if you're techie but your spouse/kids aren't, for example). I love my Rokus, and they're so cheap that it wasn't a big deal to get one for every TV. I don't miss cable at all.

My 8 minute drive would be about 40 minutes by bus and 12-15 minutes on a bike, but the danger to myself cycling (no bike lanes, busy traffic when I'm coming/going, east-west street so the sun is in my/driver's eyes in the afternoon) make it not at all worth it.

Of course, I purposely bought a house this close to my office so I wouldn't have a long commute OR feel bad about driving it. I can't fathom how people can spend an hour or more a day (sometimes each way) in their car or public transportation.

Copyright is automatic upon content creation and publication. No need to register anything.

Men are complicated in much less strange ways. It's not like each and every one of us doesn't deal with both men and women in a variety of relationships all the time.

Absolutely. People just like to complain - there are enough source materials in every modern D&D incarnation that you could play radically different campaigns for decades, yet people still seem to freak out when something new comes along.

No one says you have to use the new versions (plenty of people still use 3.5, for example), and D&D is formatted so that you can create your own campaigns and rules and characters forever with the same books you have no. Wizards/Hasbro know this, which is why they're developing a new system so soon after 4e came out - it'll sell more books (more people buy the core books than anything else). If you like those, great. If you don't, who cares? No one is taking YOUR game away.

The exact same argument was used to justify continuing slavery - "slaves are better off with the food and housing their masters provide them - setting them free would be cruel".