An analogy
Hammers are pretty good for hammering things. Hammers have been around for a long time, and over the years, people have been personalizing their hammers and also finding new uses for them. The hammer makers didn't mind. They were concerned with making good hammers and making sure they were good for hammering. If people thought they were good for other things and maybe bought more hammers because of these new uses, that was a bonus. But the hammer makers were experts on hammering and these new uses were strange. The hammer makers didn't want to fiddle with them if they had to at all. If they made any changes to their hammers, it could help some of these new uses, but it could also harm others, and it was very difficult to foresee how it would affect all of them.
Recently, the hammer makers designed a lighter hammer. It was better for hammering, which was the core of the business and why most people bought hammers. However, a lot of people were also using hammers as doorstops, and they complained very loudly because the new hammers weren't any good for doorstops anymore. They had spent a lot of money buying hammers to use as doorstops for many years. They threatened to give up using hammers altogether.
So how about the new comments format?
Recently, the hammer makers designed a lighter hammer. It was better for hammering, which was the core of the business and why most people bought hammers. However, a lot of people were also using hammers as doorstops, and they complained very loudly because the new hammers weren't any good for doorstops anymore. They had spent a lot of money buying hammers to use as doorstops for many years. They threatened to give up using hammers altogether.
So how about the new comments format?