>> The gift registry still evinces too much interest in a gift

Are you kidding? I think it evinces interest in getting only gifts you can use and want. Nobody's forcing anybody to buy things off the registry, and it would certainly be rude to complain about a gift received from somewhere else, but I, for one, like to get gifts that I know the couple (or new mom, or whatever) actually WANTS. I'm downright irritated when I get invited to something like that and the person it's for didn't bother to register somewhere so that I can get something useful! IMHO, it's a way of the receiver taking the stress out of shopping for the giver. (OK, obviously it changes things some if you register for nothing under $100, but most people don't do that)

I'm curious, do all of you feel this way about online "wish lists", too?