Not sure how you can say you did not work more than 5 days because the raids are weekly with lockouts so unless you got your piece of gear EVERY raid you did the first time, you had to work more than 5 days to get it.

I agree about the cash issue, and I'm still stating that it would take more coding than it's worth. All in all I would LOVE a cash system to be the end all be all of repair. But because the system (as you stated) doesn't work well can't really ask for that yet.

Who would do a 5 STR stat? Well if no one does a 5 STR stat, then something is wrong with that system also. But even at 20 or like me 155 STR you would still have issues of crafting stuff. Trust me, before they lowered the basic weigh of items AND increased the STR effect of weight, people were upset about it all the time.

Yeah UO changed it, and Xsyon wanted to make the system in Xsyon like they did before that change in UO.
I also happen to think its better for economy to have items break.