We are talking about the group of people who system16 criticized for being "happy with having paid for FSD." Other peoples' needs and wants differ, and characterizing those needs and wants as if they are plain wrong is arrogant.
In the end, who knows? Who cares? If a customer says they are happy with the purchase, why should someone else tell them they are plain wrong? I can disagree, of course, but I should not tell them they're just wrong for being happy.
I don't tell people they're wrong for paying extra for a special paint color.
I do care in some instances.
If an individual chooses to part with their money, it is 9/10 none of my business. However, in this case, parting of the money involves a seller providing a product that does not live to its advertising claims. As such, other entities can ( and will ) take note of this sudden change in customer's attitudes towards blatant lies. Note how much damage Tesla did to cars with cars as subscription. Other manufacturers were quick to pick up on this.
When I buy a car, I want some level of assurance that it is not just 'beta', 'alpha', but a fully working product. I don't accept this software mentality 'we will ship it in next update' in cars. So in this case, stupid customer moves affect me. So I can do two things. It seems easier to enforce current regulations on Tesla and quietly calm down defensive Tesla buyers, who will defend FSD with their lives if they have to.
That's really my problem. You get used with it and start trusting it until it unexpectedly goes straight into that white van.
The trouble is, nobody can afford to employ a hundred thousand professional test drivers.
> You can still argue that ... they're already getting enough value out of the partially delivered product.
I think it's true that some people feel that way, and that's fine. But I agree with OP that the Tesla others "who honestly believe 'real FSD is only a year away'" are being taken advantage of if not outright defrauded.
If you pay $10K for a paint color, you get the paint color. If you pay $20K for sport brakes, you get the brakes. If you pay $15k for Tesla FSD, you get the hope that Tesla will eventually deliver FSD, much the same as a Star Citizen customer is buying the hope that they'll eventually actually be able to fly their ship in a full game.
You can still argue that the aspiration is worth the money to the customers, or that they're already getting enough value out of the partially delivered product. But I also think it's reasonable for onlookers to think that there's some level of fraud going on, given the constant promises without delivery.