Currently running HotDQ with my group and they all are having a good time with it. While the AP is a bit messy, its got a lot of great ideas. I also bend with the players to add things about their history and background that ties them to the campaign and AP. For instance, in episode 1 of HotDQ, one of my players accused the Dwarf who heads the city guard of Greenest of allowing these cultists to attack the city. . . so I ran with it. The warlock was right, and the Dwarf disappeared only to try to ambush the group later with some backup for blowing his cover, but the overall AP is still being followed. If they wanted to try something different, though, I'd be okay with that as well.
But anyway, I have no problem with APs as a player or DM and never have. Neither have any of the groups I have played with, but I guess I am lucky. Though I really don't have this 'railroad' phobia that some players seem to have, likely due to some genuinely bad experiences. Not that I haven't also had some DMs who obviously were railroading us, I have. I just think its important, as was stated earlier, to go over expectations with your group and see if they will buy into a full AP or not before starting it. Nor is that to say the group can't decide to abandon the AP if they get bored, though I would expect a good group would give their DM a heads up on that so they can prep for a sudden change in campaign direction or a short term diversion. Otherwise I get to exercise my right as a DM to say, "Well, that's interesting, but I got nothing prepped for that right now, so I guess we are done for today."
I do get the desire to have shorter APs as an option though. I certainly wouldn't mind that myself sometimes.