Hmm, reread my postedits. I don't want to give the impression that using an older mame is wrong. It's just that mame changes enough that if you use an older version, you'll have to let us know so we can help you correctly. Also, some people have stopped at specific versions of mame, so they know it very well, while others keep updating all the time, so can help most with the newest versions.
I hope you got it straightened ouot.