But it's not a completely new version and calling it 3.0 is mispresentative.
2.1's theme is an evolution on top of 2.0's, so much so that it is literally called 'Curve 2'. I also suspect that someone will remake the 2.0 theme for 2.1 with all the goodies and shiny things like much improved mobile support (like 2.1 already has out of the box and that 2.0 can't do with its current theme)
2.1 is also built directly on top of 2.0, in a way that a 3.0 wouldn't be.
Though I find it interesting that the look is the only comment, and not any of the new features, like draft posting, or alerts, or new CAPTCHA to improve registration or... but that your only observation is how it doesn't look like something that was designed 10 years ago and was already out of date when it did finally appear in the first place.
Everything
for Users is about LOOK.
"It's the same book, but we changed from black&white to colored pictures. So it is the same book. But, by the way, you have to read it from page bottom to page top."
For You, as developper, all the arguments may be right and You all are proud of what You got out at the end. But please, try also thinking
a little bit as a "user since years"! If the "optic" / "surface" is completely different for the users (like MS Office 2003 to Office 2010), let us know that important point by giving it a new version number.
You and Your team grew up over the years with all the new features and optical changes.
We, the admins,
have to live AND understand AND explain it to our longtime 1Vxx to 2Vxx clients within
days. THEY, our users, have to find their way in the new design. Not YOU. You know it better than ..... Sorry.
You may be right, but I like my opinion better. (Du hast vielleicht Recht, aber meine Meinung gefällt mir besser)
BTW: the differences in optic between 1Vx and 2Vx was ..... nearly nothing .....
Still best regards from GE, your sincerely kubMCC