Why should it take three weeks to get a game running? I never have to spend three weeks to get a game running in Kega Fusion, Gens, NNNesterJ, Ootake, ZSNES, Applewin and other emulators.
People saying I can't complain because it's free want things to stay the same and never improve. So if MAME cost $1 I'd be able to complain all I want? I wouldn't be told that I suck when I say something else sucks?
You're not allowed to say something is bad unless you spent money on it?
For instance, if I visit a city and I see buildings in poor repair I'm not allowed to say, "wow, this place looks like shit" without first living there for a year and paying taxes?
If MAME is improved (made easier to use and more compatible out-of-the-box with more games) then arcade preservation will live on and more people will know about the classics in the future.