[kevinherron]

I think you're missing the point as well; "dearth" is a lack of. A lack of counter-productive features is a good thing.

[Izkata]

I think you've misunderstood who is responding to who. A "dearth of somewhat counterproductive features" is being described as a bad thing in the OP, using an incorrect/nonexistent definition of "dearth" as "there are too many somewhat counterproductive features".