I'm going to wade in even though Thom and Nicholas have done a good job of commenting already.
Zombie - there are arguments against the post that kicked this off, but they are a best weak or wrong.
And, since they are mostly right, that was why a change was made.
Now, here is the thing. I re-read that post three times, and I'm still not sure what Stormbringer wants. I think I know, but not sure.
What he doesn't want is new rules. Well, if you check my recent proclamation and follow up comments, I totally acknowledge the fact that for experienced players happy with their tweaked, home brew systems, you dont need to buy them. You don't. It would help the community if you did, not only financially, but so as a community we all rally around a standard, but clearly not necessary. Really, the standard is to plant a guide pole, cast dispel confusion for all new comers to ICE and get all newbies on one standard where we can successfully provide alot of support. Trying to support THREE main versions of RM is idiotic.
What I think he is driving at is (i) support and (ii) a little harder to define but "creativity". But I think the creativity he mentions is probably, really support.
Now, its very easy to be fond about the old days when ICE had MERP, the greatest fantasy setting. You really cant screw it up if you tried and not only did ICE not screw it up, I think its still the best system out there with great, "creative" support products.
Look, seriosuly, I am a player, fan and consumer first. I'm new to the game company business in a sense, and let me tell you, from a business persepctive, it sucks. If I was doing this to have a sucessful business, I would have quit long ago.
BUT as a hobby, fan, gamer, GM, player, creator, - its GREAT!
So, I am totally on your page.
BUT first, We NEED and MUST HAVE a unified RM not from a business perspective, but from a community perspective. We have to have it if we are going to expand participation.
But, really for existing fans, its not necessarily "necessary".
What then, is?
I think back to what Storm is saying;
Creative (and therefore I think this means high quality) support product.
I assume this means:
1) More thrown into SW, more into cyradon in terms of campaign materials.
2) Adventures of two kinds:
(a) setting specific to SW and Cyradon
(b) generic
3)e-support
(a) Gm tools
(b) character tool
(c) or full VTT (which can be used to manage your table top game OR for remote gaming)
4) Maybe it also means
(a) idea generation - we get this from the guild companion and maybe with enough fan particpation, this can expand. and it can cover adventures, npc, treasures, traps etc.
(b) rules options - think we will have the optionality well covered from official products, but RM is going to stay a plug and play system so in theory this could be infinite even if much might stay unofficial. but thats what it is all about.
BUT this is me assuming...Storm - what do YOU have in mind? What do others WANT? What am I missing?