It's incredibly easy to run most older versions, provided you don't go too far back. It's also easy to run wallet software not published by Core at all.
But, keep in mind that "supporting" changes you'd like to support is one thing, but "blocking" changes that others support is not always possible. And this has been the case from day one. Some people think that individuals should have some sort of veto that allows them to prevent others from doing what they want to do. Such people will always end up disappointed in an open-source environment where anyone can code what they want.
so doomad is finally admitting it..
but what you have to understand is consensus WAS about majority acceptance(consent) (consent of the masses=consensus) to activate new feature with majority readiness
but what you have to understand is consensus WAS about majority rejection, stay in status quo(no change)
the current system of "backward compatibility" is that the network has now weaker security as it does not need majority readiness to accept new features and understand/validate each bytes need to exist on the networks blockchain.. thus core can now trojan in new things unnoticed, unchecked without network readiness
doomad does not believe in consent of the masses nor network security. he believes in "let core do what they want good or bad".. because he believes only core should determine, run, control, manage the network protocol.. good or bad.. and no one should decentrally scrutinise them