the only one of thoes that i can realy object to is HDRI.  i knew that it was possible to use hdri maps with the blender internal but i have tried it a number of times and none of thoes times was i able to get it working.  as i have said it is "  harder to make acurite glass", not impossible, infact very possible.  i have not yet experimented with nodes other than material nodes but that sounds usefull, does it apply to yafray as well.  oh and about Aqsis, is it good?  what features does it have.  i have never had a chance to try it (the one renderer that i havent tried) and all i know about it is that it sports a renderman interface.