I just like the simplicity of 9.0. It does everything I need it to do and it's been stable as a rock, (once I got rid of WinMe!), it hasn't frozen up or crashed once in 15 months.
The only reason I've had to reinstall MC has been due HD failures. MC 9.0 manages my now 28K of mp3 VBR Hi files without any difficulties. My only real complaint is that it occaisionally drops links to some album covers from time to time. Everything else works great!
I also run MC 9.0 on a "portable" system that resides mostly in my van and occaisionally I "hook up" to the P.A. system at my local watering hole and provide the music for the band breaks. The "portable" is an IBM Thinkpad & a 200g USB HD.
I don't need all the panes, tho there are a few other features in 9.1 & 10 that I would have liked, but not enuff yet to make the move.
I'm one of those "Don't fix it if it ain't broke" kind of people and I also don't have that aching need to always have the latest stuff - heck, I drive a 1964 Ford Econoline (ex MongomeryWard delivery van, all in original condition & paint tho faded, 368 521 orig miles).
PS: Thanks to you Alex, I now have a copy of the 9.0.exe file burned to a disc, however I'm sure there are others out there like me that didn't permanently save that exe file and are now forced to "upgrade" because it's no longer available, (even on the ftp server with the other "old" stuff as it should be).
Listening to: 'If Ya Can't Boogie, Woogie (You Sure Can't Rock & Roll)' from 'Breezy Stories' by 'Danny O'Keefe' (1973) on Media Center 9.0