"The real problem cannot be solved without some forward action on his part."

Sure it can - you write something better, then get everybody who's already using Gruber's version or one of it's presumably also-flawed reimplementations to switch to yours. Or, is "8 years of enragement" really just keyboard-warrior-hyperbole on your part and an excuse to criticize someone who's achieved widespread adoption of some code you claim is 2nd rate, but which haven't bothered to improve or replace?

Besides, it sounds to me like David Greenspan has come up with a fine solution.

This is bot a privilege issue. Nobody appointed Gruber. Just do a better job and you'll be fine without his permission.