A couple of items:

1. Jtek is back in business and has Shiftmates available directly from them.
2. The proper Shiftmate will let Campy brifters work perfectly with Shimano 9 or 10-speed cassettes and rear derailleurs.
3. Campy Ergo brifters are indeed less expensive than Shimano STIs, are rebuildable and have hidden brake and shift cables. Only Shimano's latest Dura Ace and Ultegra hide the shift cables.
4. Everything else Campy (derailleurs, cassettes, etc.) is more expensive than the corresponding Shimano.
5. Operator isn't advocating the "latest and greatest", he is saying a novice at this sort of thing is likely to run into problems with "mix-and-match. He is right.