> No start/select buttons (which is a must for me with start/coin in MAME) and it
> uses that goofy disk dpad :-\
>

Goofy disk pad? The pad is pure sex. Really comfortable and pretty precise. I use it for shmups without the slightest problem. The only solution I've found that's even remotely as good is using the pad for whatever system you're emulating and hooking it up through an adapter...but even then, I prefer the Saitek in most instances because of the comfort factor.

I use the L and R buttons for coin / start in MAME and Genesis, the equivalent of Z and C for start/select in NES and SNES, L3 for L and R3 for Start in N64, etc. Works fairly well. With the 990, you can use Z/C for start/select in PS1 emulation...though the resized versions of the buttons on the 990 wouldn't work quite as well for N64 emulation as the 880 or 2500.

Anyone who prefers a PS1's dpad for anything other than PS1 games is just batshit insane (and hates their thumb).