considering I have not even made the pinned post here yet

But WHY is there no new pinned announcement post? This is what I don't understand, esp. since the lack of one is detrimental to the site.
While plenty of people here have spent their time reading every post in these threads, do you really think that everyone does, esp. the lurkers and mostly-lurkers?
And I am not trying to be disruptive. Things like this make me suspicious (or maybe some would call it paranoid) as to what could motivate one to not do this-- and I have a vivid/wild imagination with no off switch. It also bothers me greatly because this is just one more among a huge pile of poor decisions that is hurting this site. I read every post in these threads, as do most who post in these threads, but there are plenty who come in, see that there are more than 3-6 posts in a thread, and say "**** that, I'm going back to my Poser project" Others might not check out these threads at all, instead relying on third hand reports via PM or offsite forums. A new announcement pin (few people are going to read an edited old pin) at least gives them a single, solid thing to link to or read.

Are you trying to tell me that even if we managed to get some alterations to the existing issues members are wanting seen to we are going to have to explain it to you 50 times also?

The problem is no new pinned announcement. It makes me question why. And it makes me doutful that we are actually allowed to link to the things that all of you tell us we are, even if I see UVDan linking to allowed places. Because it makes no sense.

Is it something that you guys don't want most forumites to find because you would prefer no linking to external sites at all?

Or is it that you want to make a sticky but have been forbidden from doing so by TPtB because they don't want most forumites to find because they would prefer no linking to external sites at all?

Or is it that TPtB have forbidden you guys from making any more pinned announcements on this issue because they have a maximum sticky quota rule for single subjects which you guys have already exceeded?

Are TPtB punishing all of you admins because 3Dfineries dared to reveal how much he and the other admins have tried and tried to get through to TPtB about the backlash from their decisions?

Or is it that TPtB have been unclear on the rules and that the admins are all going with the closest translation of the vague statements that TPtB have made about this, but don't make an actual pinned announcement because you guys are unsure?

Or perhaps TPtB have said "yeah, this is the TOS for now, you can link to those sites, but we haven't decided if we're going to make this permanent or not, we could change our minds at any given moment" and so you guys don't bother with a sticky.

#3 and the last two are the ones that I find most likely.