Re:amateur telescopes...
Somehow, I don't see amateur telescopes having mirrors capable of changing shape according to a laser information, any time soon.
But yes, large earth based telescopes hold great promises.
However, being able to put your telesope outside on the terrace, the webcam and laptop too, and take several shots, then bring them on the PC, put them on the net a few minutes later, are also part of the fun.
Raoul