No, not really, although the 17 gauge string will sound higher, tests have shown that there is very little if any difference at all. 60 pounds at 16 gauge is basically 60 pounds at 17 gauge. No, it's not, it generally takes about a week or so for strings to settle. Natural gut strings are made from the intestines of various animals. When it comes down to the barebones of things, most synthetic gut strings are some kind of woven nylon.
Most companies share the same manufacturers, just different cosmetics.