ExploderWizard
Hero
See, I still think rogue is a viable archetype. Characters like Fafihrd, Bilbo, Aladdin, Robin Hood, Antilicus, and such is a fun and worthy of playing. The problem with removing the thief/rogue class is that these characters become something... else. Fafhrd the magic-user? Bilbo the Fighter? I don't care how you give thief skills to them, they still end up awkward.
YMMV, of course, but Thief is too iconic to me to remove. Perhaps D&D wasn't born with it, but I think its stuck with it now.
(Grumble, Get rid my favorite class Grumble)
I loved playing thieves, no doubt I'm with you there. Its when the designers decided to put the thief on equal combat ground as a sustained damage dealer that it all fell apart.