Wrong. Testnet-in-a-box doesn't work for everybody.
+ No service like blockexplorer (no, Abe can't replace it)
+ No stress test (like you love to say) possible if you're the only one
+ You can't test your app/service with beta-testers o
first of all, block explorer is hardly a reliable service. Last time I checked it was down anyway.
And how would you stress test on the testnet network if no one else is on it? I'm talking about running ideas that might pollute the blockchain, or spam it. Services that embed data in it like torrents, links, pictures, complex scripts. These are all legitimate things to experiment with, but not financially or functionally possible (or a good idea) on main-net. We need a place to do things like that.
You'll get beta testers on the testnet network, when there's more people on it. To do that, it needs some marginal value to attract any sort of volume of users. People need incentive.
You're just parasiting the whole principle of testnet
Why not copy-pasting bitcoin with a new genesis block? Why not using testnet2 or testnet1? (these are not rhetorical questions)
Because no one is on testnet2 or testnet1. If the dev's want to start it over- so be it. But the whole point is to experiment with an economy AND the technical possibilities with bitcoin which are anathema for mainline bitcoin.
Then use testnet2 or testnet1. That's the exact same thing except you don't ruin things for developpers.
How exactly are things ruined for developers? The only developers that could possibly be harmed from lots of people mining are...miners. Right? Anything else you might develop would require testers, right? That's the whole point. Testnet is a wasteland. Lots of bitcoin developers haven't even heard about testnet. YES I'M BEING SERIOUS. I would show you proof but I don't want to embarrass them, so you'll have to take my word for it.
Seriously, mainline bitcoiners are so uptight about bitcoin itself (with good reason- it's worth a ton of money) they've closed themselves off to a whole world of experimentation. Bitcoin IS an experiment. But it's gotten popular before it's been perfected. It's not even 1.0 software yet. So let us take testnet, and let us really develop it into a vibrant staging ground for bitcoin. A place where we can develop new things, try new things, test new things, without having to hear the tired old, "Don't touch the blockchain!" argument which accompanies any possible mention in mainstream bitcoin of changing things.