If something as basic as notification can be broken by updating, I have to think that DNN isn't the right choice for me and my SMB clients.
After seeing the wealth of information available in other CMS/Portal sites it's very disappointing to find that I have to go to a non-intuitive location ( this page) to just get a basic feel for what's included. That's the type of info that s/b front and center, top of mind presentation. The first question an application presentation should answer is "What does it do?".
Speaking of impressions, having to go to vendor sites for fee based modules creates the perception that DNN is a primarily a hook for commercial developers. Then I read the "Professional Edtion Roadmap" and that perception seemed to be confirmed when I noticed that basic functionality that I was seeking, such as "granular permissions" are planned for Professional, but not Community versions.
Sites like CMSMatrix.com, which could use some improvement, and the PackIT awards are nice, but they don't review applications based on the same criteria that I've learned to use. In simple terms, I'd like the core funtionality and ease of use that I see in many of the PHP/mySQL apps but with the robust data management that tends to be found in .Net/MS SQL apps.
I tend to check in on DNN about once a year but after going through the demo, clicking all over the place on this site, reading the Quick Admin, and reading forum entries I just don't feel a fit with DNN.
Thank you to everyone who spent their time helping me.