Regarding the value of PPS and pools, I'd like to say that Slush's pool is better than solo-mining.

Sometime within the last 24 hours, I found my first block on Slush's pool.  My payout thus far is 50.06, and I have a confirmed+uncomfirmed total of just above .52.

That puts my payout/block at somewhere larger than the average block+fee payout.

And, I've paid Slush for the pool; plus spent/cashed in some of my bitcoins long before I found the block.

If I'd been solo mining all this time, I've have shut down long ago.

I'm not trying to fan the flames, but I did want to add my thanks to Slush for the pool and the effort.