mik?,
i agree with your points here and i think the question
posed yesterday by alex is resolved. the only thing
about this issue at all is this snipped quote:

"... 1" is dying a slow death and is GENERALLY seen as
antiquated..... I'm not saying it's a good thing... that's just the
way it is ..."

that being the case, it says to me that framebuilders will no
longer build the forks that are on their frames. they will buy
them from fork makers. and with deda and columbus pushing
the pre-fabbed rears, if these specs become commonplace
framebuilders may forsake their training, throw their hands
up, and say, "Well. That's what the customer wants!"
there's a point at which i will wonder what role
a framebuilder serves.
e-RICHIE