I agree with what you are saying George.
First let me say that you will never find a more helpful and genuinely nice group of people than those here on CN and in Astronomy in general.
However, there is an unintended disrespect for those of us that have limited means for purchasing equipment.
Limited knowledge is no problem, everyone is ready and willing to help.
But if a newbie or not so newbie posts that they have finally got the misses to agree that they can spend a maximum of $500 for a complete scope setup, watch out!
He is told that you CAN'T get anything for $500 and you need to spend at LEAST $1000 and should look at Tak or TEC or TV or the like for anything worthwhile.
And as you said George, the guy asking the original question has been shoved aside while the posters argue over who is right and what is the best. Actually, none of them are right and none of the stuff they are touting are right for that person asking the original question!
The correct answer to the original inquiry would be something like, go to Orion and look at the Celestron NexStar complete GOTO systems for under $500! I started out with the Tasco closeout of the NS80GT for $200 and it was great. Then I got their NS4GT Mak for about $300. I loved both of them and they worked perfectly for me and had everything a poor schlub like me could hope for.
I sold them of course and started trading up and now I have reached a stellar point for me! Or maybe, a StellarVue point with the SV102ED2, something I never thought I could afford. I think it is wonderful as do most all of the other SV102ED owners. But there are those who will try to belittle what we have by criticising SV and what they stand for. They stand for us little guys!