I agree - I'd love to see them re-think Finder. I just don't grok Finder... I do most of my work in the terminal and occasionally midnight commander or nerdtree inside vim. I tried free ones like muCommander but don't like the overhead of starting a java app... Similarly I don't want the overhead of running an X server so I can use an X based file manager. And I don't want to buy some 3rd party File Manager. We should get a great File Manager OOTB with OS X. I don't see why Apple can't implement a modern File Manager... At least give us something comparable to Windows Explorer... or take the time to make a video to convince us Finder is actually good for those who may not grok it.
And a swappable battery would be wonderful but I can live without it.
I think the problem is that file management does not fit Apple's vision for the future. It is simply too abstract a task with too many use cases to really design something simple and elegant in the spirit of how Apple normally approaches problems. There are obviously a million ways to make the Finder better than what it is, but what Apple really wants to do is kill it entirely. Of course they're nowhere near being able to kill it, so instead they hold it at arm's length as a necessary evil.
In the meantime, if, like me, you are stuck on OS X because it's the best GUI for a *nix now and in the foreseeable future, I suggest buying PathFinder (http://www.cocoatech.com/pathfinder/) to bridge the gap. It's certainly a much better tool than Finder or Windows Explorer.
I think you are probably the most correct of all the posts here. Apple wants a system where you can't access the filesystem period, at least not by default. Seeing that there is a filesystem underneath the system is, to their eye, as appealing as those devices popular in the 90s with transparent shells that let you see the electronics. Their ideal future is basically the iPhone. They even said as much in their unveiling of the new Macbook. They said the phone/tablet will be your primary computing device and a laptop or desktop will just be an accessory (eventually literally, as mobile chips get more powerful and Intel continues to nerf desktop offerings).
In my experience, trying to replace core OS apps with 3rd-party replacements just never quite works 100% in all situations. My preference is more toward apps that augment/improve the core OS apps. Xtrafinder is of this type, adding additional functionality to Finder, rather than being a wholly separate app like TotalFinder.
Have used TotalFinder for a couple of years, just tried XtraFinder. Found that the side-by-side view and shortcuts for sliding in the pinnable Finder just didn't work, even after a couple of uninstall/reboot/install/reboot cycles. Has some nice features and seems like it should cover what I want from TotalFinder, but just isn't there yet.
I also don't understand your sentiment for preferring it over TotalFinder... they both feel and act like augmentations. I got the impression that XtraFinder would work alongside the normal finder, but that's not the case.
I find the complete opposite. Xtrafinder side-by-side view and everything else advertised by xtrafinder does seem to work great for me. Totalfinder might still be better as I have not tried it yet. They both look like fine augmentations of finder in general. What else are you looking for?
And a swappable battery would be wonderful but I can live without it.