Good discussions so far! A few things: Any suspension system will have limitations, including under which conditions it will perform well or poorly. A key, obvious thing to think about as a buyer is what conditions one is using a given bike under, and which "assets" one personally values the most. It may be price, weight, adjustability, lack of maintenance, looks, part availability, etc. Many suspensions with "active" damping will require servicing; this is less of an issue with parts that any LBS has available, and a headache for a niche bike owner. Again, experiences may vary, real life experiences that is!

Another important aspect is that of the rider as a damping "agent"; in addition to any suspension choosen, do play with tire pressure, and know when to accelerate and when to stop, really basic stuff. The 355 wheel size doesn't get as much love as it deserves IMO. It is nice to have winter studded tires, true offroad tires, marathons for commuting, and the lightest slicks still in production (e.g., Minits, 150gr per tire) all in one place.

On a related note, just FYI, the recently released Bonkers tires look cool but are a level 2 tire, so no good protection, per Schwalbe.