[Dstar] questions from ZL2DW

[David Walker - ZL2DW]

Hello guys
please excuse my ignorance here but can someone(s) please give me your thoughts and observations re dstar. 
I have been subscribed to this reflector for months now and mostly what I have seen relates to site interconnect problems.
Here in ZL we have only one dstar repeater and it's not on a hilltop yet..........and won't be within my 70cm range when it is.
So when it is operational what can those within its range  expect to do with this dstar stuff, will it be somewhat like a digital form of IRLP.......or what ?
Why dstar and not P25 or Tetra ?  
Is there a really good lay mans web site I can go to to read/learn more about dstar and can someone please comment on the dstar gear just working as a conventional repeater, how does it sound, how does the range compare with an analogue repeater on the same band.?
Does dstar have a future or will it have a successor ? 
Are there ever going to be other manufacturers, other than Icom ?
Like I said please excuse my ignorance but I'm keen to learn and some of these question may seem a bit derrrr.
Many thanks and 73, David Walker (ZL2DW Hastings, New Zealand).

PS thanks in advance for your replies,   DW 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.wia.org.au/pipermail/dstar/attachments/20080827/e90fe4e1/attachment.html