i am fairly sure that the modifier method (using falloff for bone verticy selection method) can work on multiple objects easily and seamlessly. infact, that each segment is its own object might actualy help to create that segmented spider look rather than having the joints bend smothly as would normaly do if the mesh was one object.  however like i said, i am still learning (not even doing much of that) about using bones in blender.  using bones in animation master was way to easy and thus spoiled me into getting ADD attacks whever attempting to learn bones in any other program.