You're right, I shouldn't have acted like an offhand comment from a developer on the forums was company policy.  That was stupid of me - my apologies.  And I completely agree that a 20k price tag to update a dead end delivery system so that a relatively small number of gamers could download what is already a free, content rich update you were under no obligation to deliver is much, much too high.  I'll have to see what can be done to get 2.0 working on Windows2000, and if that doesn't work I've got two options - continue to play Twilight with the previous update, which is still one of the most polished, well crafted games around, or upgrade the operating system.  Either way I've more than gotten my money's worth out of Twilight.  

Thanks again for all the work and passion you've put into this game.  Please never feel that it goes un-appreciated - especially not because a small, vocal minority is frustrated by being unable to access the last round of goodies.  I feel terrible that my post may have had a part in cooling Stardock's enthusiasm for being part of the community their game has created.  I'd much rather end up not being able to access 2.0 than have Stardock change from the company they've always been.  

Please keep up the good work .

You've GOT to be KIDDING US. The download speed of Impulse is cut in half compared to SDC!? This is preposterous! And what's this crap the retail version of Endless Universe will not be sold in the states??! So you give everybody else the chance to get these expansions in the BARGAIN BIN later on and not US as in U.S.??!! Well I just guess I will be IMPORTING them from UK then pfffffft on gew. Man Stardock used to be a great company, but, this mess is getting worse than STARFORCE in that you gotta have this and you can only download with that and you CAN'T HAVE ANY HARD COPY of the PATCHES ON YOUR DISKS....You may have sold 300,000 copies of GCII, but, with all these restrictions and patching procedures I'm sure you've sold your last 300,000 copies of anything to do with gaming.

lol ... actually I read it all and I just have to answer 

just buy spore (or the sims) instead man

at least when maxis do meaningful updates you have to pay for them

now isn't this nice ? personnally I prefer a poorly written buggy downloader over trying to milk me like a cow (ok companies have to earn money, but I hope one day all sims players realize how little VERY buggy content maxis throw at them for money... even the fansites like "toto et nono" said  it's becoming worse and worse)

PS: not saying that impulse is a poorly written buggy downloader, this was said for the sake of comparison