So what is it? Jealousy? Spite?
I believe that the term you're looking for is "GIT OFF MAH LAWN".
Or, more specifically, "This thing that I used to like but have no real control over has changed a bit and I don't feel like adjusting to these changes so I'll just pretend that they're the WORST THING EVAR so that I can feel like I'm right for not accepting them." It's a fairly common geek affliction, from what I understand.
I'd like to point out that cavern critters and poisonous FB's added more variety to fortress threats (something which I found 40d to be sorely lacking in), that ghosts add more variety to fortress threats, that necromancers, werewolves, cursed rain, and especially vampires will add more variety to fortress threats (hmmm, a trend! It's almost like Toady does, in fact, know where he's going with all of this!), and that the next release looks like it may finally make adventurer mode worth playing.
In addition, 31.25 runs faster (on my computer, at least) than 40d ever did and most of the really harmful bugs have been addressed. Furthermore, animals are easier to manage, injured dwarves are better-attended, and modding is much more versatile. In fact, the only thing 40d really has on the current version is an easier-to-understand military.
As a final point, Toady's new release plan looks pretty functional to me, Toady being able to singlehandedly manage a project as large as DF makes him ten times the programmer I'll ever be, and Necro910 is not, was not, and will never be every single member of B12.
Whew. Okay, I'm done venting now. Best wishes to that new game's devteam.
EDIT TO THE EDIT: I made an edit, but deleted it because on further inspection it made no sense.