I'll join in. I think, on balance (no pun intended), this is a very good improvement. Of course there are some things I question (I agree, all squares, even in abstract, is silly). But I'll take those any day if it brings me all the improvements I've seen.
Since someone brought up AU, does anyone else feel the way I do? The mechanics changes Monte has talked about sound great, except when they sound awesome. But the implied setting leaves me more and more cold every time I hear something new about it. Hero Points, Death's Door, the spell system; these sound cool. But I can't get at all excited about furry unfettereds and faen akashics.