Amen. I was thinking the same thing when I read that.
Can I get a link?
This is the link
http://www.coindesk.com/developers-battle-bitcoin-block-chain/
I think that article was only written as an opportunity to bash Bitcoin and plug Ethereum. I don't see how it would make sense otherwise to even mention a completely irrelevant "solution", particularly if the quoted persons say the same thing. (Their Disqus-moderator also didn't take to kindly to me pointing that out, which makes me doubt their objectiveness even more.)
I've read parts of the discussion on the forums and it seems the issue is one that could affect everyone in this space. They did not communicate or involve the developers of bitcoin in their plans and then act a bit like spoiled divas. I think this might be because of a cultural problem of being unfamiliar with how open-source projects and development works.
Open-source might be open and free, but that doesn't mean you don't have to make your own sandwich. Counterparty (don't know if mastercoin was the same) are complaining they are not being catered to and project themselves as the end all be all of Bitcoin and all bitcoiners should carry the burden of their plans, no questions asked. As far as I could tell, the bitcoin devs were not unwilling to develop a more elegant solution instead of the current exploit-hack and even proposed a few temporary workarounds until such a solution was found, but judging from the reactions I doubt we'll see a BIP anytime soon from the Counterparty and Mastercoin teams.
In short I think we should be prepared for similar cultural/perspective problems over here as well.