Did they ever settle out the problems between Foundation Imaging and Netter digital so the CGI could be re-rendered?

The two books are slightly aligned, but yeah they could be read in any order without a problem. But both are very worth a read.

Have you take a look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbows_End_(novel) ? Dr Vinge does "thought bombs" a lot with most of his books where you read something and he has all kinds of implications that jump out with one of his concepts.

Another of his works - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cookie_Monster_(novella) about simulations reminded me a lot of Stross' thought experiments - but from the other side.

But all of them tend to have something - "Reality Graphics" in A Fire Upon the Deep, the localizer net and the Focused in A Deepness, Rainbows End above considers why you might have an underground market in Bootleg processors... Interesting stuff to ponder.