I read a ways back into this thread, and I'm going to go with Theis on this one. Sure to upset someone somewhere as always, here are my 2 cents' worth.

--I have never had a significant problem with hanked-on headsails in my life. On the other hand, I have had a couple of highly unpleasant experiences with roller furlers of various age and make.
--Roller furling headsails are generally slower to deploy and slower to take in. Slower to deploy is not a good thing. This is a safety issue.
--I have made a fair amount of money over time working on roller furling systems with problems. I have made money, but much less, doing things like replacing piston hanks. Similarly, after every good winter blow you can observe any number of shredded up furling headsails flapping like mad.
--There is of course the issue of takedown...well, I guess you might say "rollup". Ever try to do it downwind? In a lot of cases this does not work out so well and the sail must be rolled up heading dead to windward, which often requires a screw turning. Engines never fail to operate when needed, do they?
--I see plenty of furling headsails with blown and flappy leeches. Fewer hank-ons unless the boat is really ghetto (of which I have been guilty). Guess which blown out sails are usually markedly newer?
--There is a definite performance issue. With a good suit of sails, see how many degrees your boat can actually tack through. Put on the furler and try it. Place a classified ad for the furler the next day...The issue of windage is very real and significant as is the issue of added weight aloft. The additional pumping induced in a blow is detrimental and fatiguing to the rest of the rig and to the spar itself. Don't bother asking the sailmaker or the rigger who both have money to make from you, but take it up with a naval architect or a mechanical engineer. No joke.
--An auto helm is a poor device for keeping drive on the boat under sail as it can only steer a compass course as opposed to keeping up a desired sheet load commensurate with a given angle of attack of boat to wind. A very nice sheet-to-tiller tackle can be made up for a fraction of the cost and will be used quite often.
--As to staying on the boat or not, under the heading of "safety"...it can be very difficult to singlehandedly keep visual contact on an MOB while handling the boat in order to retrieve succesfully--under the most ideal conditions. Quality jacklines, harnesses and tethers are relatively inexpensive and easy to fit, especially if you make them yourself, and have the distinct benefit of keeping you attatched to the boat.
--Again (I brace for the ostracization with this one) an issue of safety. Things happen on boats, and usually under less-than-ideal conditions. When they do, they are usually solved by beef and ability. Sometimes they happen forward. If a person is not able to work their own foredeck under all possible conditions and get the job done, the issue of their safety is poorly served by the installation of yet more equipment which adds yet more complexity, and better served by a deep contemplation of whether or not they really belong on a sailboat. You can't buy seamanship at West Marine, but folks try awful hard. Unfortunately, there is no substitute.
--Dinasaur, no--Sailor, yes.
Jerk?, maybe...Realist? I try.
Best,
Dave