I too prefer the new compose, my only gripe is the unnecessary collapsing of attaching things other than files on the hard drive. The thing I attach most often is an image at a web address, to do so I have to hover the +, click "insert photo", select the web address option, paste in the web address and then click ok. Far too many steps.

yeah the toolbar is annoying, I have to navigate 2 menus to quote some text.

I'm guessing it's optimized for non-power users, but it should at least be customizable, or better yet learn which icons are most used and bring them to the main toolbar.

I think these are completely intentional. Additional steps made for the few that use that stuff, and hiding out the complexity for the big majority that doesn't want that.

I don't think they would ever create anything without a decent reasoning behind it. May not be your reasoning, but there is one.

Agreed here, same with me. I might end up writing a greasemonkey script for the same soon (quickly insert image via url). If someone is more motivated than me, feel free to do it and share :).

You inspired me. Here's a first, hacky, iteration to at least remove one step

    (function showMenuInterval() {
         Array.prototype.forEach.apply(document.querySelectorAll('[aria-label="Insert more menu"]'), [function(menu) { menu.style.display='none'; }]);   
         Array.prototype.forEach.apply(document.querySelectorAll('.aZ > .wL.wM'), [function (menu) { menu.classList.add('wN'); menu.classList.remove('wM'); menu.style.width = '186px'; }]);
         setTimeout(showMenuInterval, 50);
    }());

I have wanted that exactly zero times. But I wouldn't object to the the new compose if you could maximize it without popping it out into a new window, and make that the default. The problem is not the new features, but the functionality they removed.