>>105746791It's funny how you mention none of this until a wayback machine link is posted, but comparing dumb defaults like spatial browsing (which could always be disabled through gSettings), or removing a couple of buttons from gAIM's chat window (even though gAIM — now Pidgin — has always been remarkably extensible and configurable), with the tragedy that has unfolded since GNOME 3, is highly exaggerative.
GNOME 2 remained an extraordinarily configurable and capable DE until it was put out to pasture (MATE would not exist as a project if many early GNOME users and developers did not feel this way), and developing for GNOME was nowhere near as restrictive and contentious as it is now.
I ran a computing fundamentals class for seniors at the local learning annex in the early 2000s, and exclusively used GNOME 2 during that time, because of how thoroughly it could be configured and themed for different types of users. Under GNOME 2, I was easily able to teach dozens and dozens of elderly people how to safely browse the web and exchange e-mails with Mozilla Suite, and compose documents in AbiWord.
They had no problem picking any of this up because of how friendly and accessible the UI could be made with just a few changes and the right themes. This would be nearly impossible today using GNOME 3 or GNOME 4, and they would shit themselves in confusion. There really is no comparison. GNOME 2 was great, while GNOME 3 and up has been a horror show.