After reading the forums for xbox also, I think on the whole my game is actually going pretty well. Had some truly chronic lag for a while, but by becoming hugely sloth-like and lethargic and sleeping/waiting often to pass a month, mostly the lag is not too severe. Sure there are many many bugs and glitches, but after 145hrs my game is still running well, its not freezing, textures are usually ok, draw distance is too, quests aren't broken (I have only ever gone in ruins/mines/caves etc that I have a reason to go in...luckily), not used a horse (crap in Oblivion, looked crap here too so didn't bother), used Lydia briefly then she died...it was tragic and I was traumatised by the loss, so have only accepted the assistance of the undead since as they are just bags of unfeeling festering meat- had few problems with the thralls, but again nothing too severe, other than one going missing occasionally, or they would get into a little tiff and kill each other over a misunderstanding with a staff of chain-lightning. Only done/doing the college of Winterhold and main quest, many side-quests, but no other groups/factions/guilds so far.

I would actually have paid good money to have my xbox/ps3 'updated' with RAM or whatever was needed to get Skyrim running as the developers intended and we all wanted. Seems like a better choice than having multiple software patches trying to resolve the fact that Skyrim pushes the current gen a little past what they can actually do...or maybe the programmers...or both. I think its just a little too much for the systems and not enough time/resources/money to perfect such a complicated and in-depth world and consequently its a real shame for many. Skyrim is without doubt a marvel to behold, on the surface, but it seems a step beyond what was actually doable as so many people are finding out when they scratch the polished veneer of Skyrims surface and really push the boundaries of what the world makes possible. I am quite lucky really, I have enjoyed the open-world as it has opened up naturally by going through quests etc. Get the feeling that if I had just gone off the plantation and signed-up for everything, things could be a lot worse.

Will I stop moaning though...no. I don't mind paying more for quality and reliability, I do mind mind paying the same for tat and unreliability.
Bethesda you either under-estimate your fanbase or are ignoring them for the masses. Anyone who likes TES would have gladly waited longer and paid a little more as an alternative to what they got. To the masses its just another game, you won't make loyal fans of them though because if they do get hooked and scratch the surface they will find the problems too, and simultaneously you have damaged relations with your already loyal fanbase- all round oooops as far as marketing/PR and running a long-term business are concerned.