To be fair,
Yes, e-tools is usable early in a campaign. When characters get more complicated and you want to create some custom prestige classes, you'll have to use the e-tools patch.
E-TOOLS PATCH v.2.0
No patch. That was just a rumor by hopeful posters stating that they believe a patch was due out mid-october.
Fluid's e-tool's forum board is down probably because they wish to forget that e-tools was ever created. Out of site, out of mind.
Well, the last bit is my own speculation.
Anyways...