Um I had zero problems with the Matrix that 5 minutes on the net didn't solve. Sure I spent 5 hours trying to align it only to find out that it had been aligned right the entire time and every time, had I just taken the 5 minutes to check the net I would have known that. As for the flashing that again was just a quick search in these forums for the exact error I was getting and I found the answer immediatly (you have to pinch it a bit sometimes to get it to flash). Other than that it was a cake walk and I programmed and installed a friend's inside of 10 minutes the next day. It is rather simple and childs play once you know the little nuances of it. Sounds like ID-10T problems to me (and I had some of the exact same ones, all which could have been solved in a minute or two had I just taken the initiative instead of being a bull in a china closet).
As for the reprogramming it in the machine you can, you just have to have it in dedicated mode and I believe the new evolution x dash will update it for you.
WinLPC not working? Well if WinLPC didn't work on those computers nothing else would have either whether it be milk or anything of the like. The reason it has a delay slider and choices is so it will work on the greatest number of computers. On my Athlon I don't have to give it any delay to work, but on my 200mhz dell CPX-i I have to move it all the way over. This is due to the difference in the port handleing.
And you REALLY don't have to jiggle it around for 5 minutes, all you have to do is line the center of the 6 holes up and tighten it down while keeping them lined up and it works every time. I mean geeze I'm a n00b at this and I had it working first time out (again I thought it wasn't because of MY error on not checking to see if it should even be getting the green flashing light).
Not to mention nice thing is if your XBox blows up and you have to get it serviced by MS the Pogo Pin method is far less invasive and far easier to go back from than soldering. Try Desoldering an Xecutor, sending the XBox in to be serviced and convincing them you didn't do anything to it.
Finally as for good jolt and it's out of alignment again. I shook the crude out of my XBox put pressure on the mod itself and everything I could short of something that would damage the XBox and the ONLY way it went out of alignment is when I used both hands and a decent amount of force turning the mod itself to get it to go out of alignment. I highly doubt anything like that is going to happen to the XBox through normal wear and tear.
Man I love how some people always are there to blame everyone else when they could have taken the initiative and found the solution in little time. Great society of laziness we live in these days.