Interesting write-up - I think we all like the idea of a dedicated, small, contained (and in my case, cheap) controller. Something that doesn't bugger off on a 2 week vacation whilst it updates to the latest and greatest patch.

I have to admit that I don't practise what I preach and I prefer a machine that I can CAD/CAM and machine as an all-in-one, simply I do not have the space for multiple monitors, keyboards and mice (even now I'm behind KVMs for linux and windows with a WAN and two LANs for the two separate machine controllers).

Just a thought - and I'm showing my ignorance for CE - is there no general "config" file used to configure what is supposed to be a deployable embedded system - that you could offer as a starter-for-ten for others here that may want to use a similar thin client? (I'm thinking if the settings are held in a single file, rather than the usual bloated windows registry crap.

EDIT: "gifted"?, hardly, we came to an arrangement that you honoured.