Also I think that not knowing the details of every magic item coming and going was a great thing back when I first started playing. The sense of unknown and mystery was a great joy. Thats all been thrown overboard now with the items in the players handbook.
I've honestly never understood this statement. In every edition, every player I ever had read the magic item section in the DMG. The only difference now is that you don't have to access the DMG when you're not running the game. Players have always had access to all the stats on all the magic items, unless the GM created the item himself. I don't see what's changed in that respect.
The following discourse is not directed specifically at the post quoted above, but is a general response to various posts in this thread.
I understand the hatred of the magic wal-mart. I hate it myself, but as a flavor element. I allow some NPCs to sell magic items, but each one is unique and I control the inventory. If PCs want to create a magic item for themselves, that doesn't bother me at all. Back in AD&D my players were doing it. If PCs want to purchase an item not currently available in any of the NPC's in inventory, they can always let them know and they'll try to find it. As long as the item isn't unbalanced, they will eventually find it through their trade contacts.
There is nothing wrong with making a PC wait to get a hold of a particular item, but they should be able to get it unless it's unbalanced (in which case it should be banned altogether). I tend to agree that trying to decide what magic items a PC is allowed to have (regardless of the character's concept and flavor) is an expression of GM control issues.
As a player, I prefer to use the magic items I've found in adventuring. My GMs have always taken into account what would fit my character's concept and flavor (as I have for my players). Some players have much more defined concepts that include particular items. I've never understood defining a character by equipment, but that doesn't mean that those players shouldn't be allowed to have their own particular style of fun.
The core rules should easily accommodate all play styles. If your players don't mind you controlling what items they can get for their characters, more power to you. Run your game that way. But if you're worried that your players will be
disappointed that they can't get what they want, maybe they aren't as satisfied with that play style as you may think.