[AstralStorm]

Disc brakes are not particularly safer, not even in bad weather. What is safer is having the right or multicompound or high end compound brake pad. Which is actually harder to pull off in a small uncovered disc brake.

The proprietary parts are getting worse, with variant derailleurs and shifters mostly. Then the aforementioned brake pads are almost always proprietary and often specific for the brake caliper, unlike in usual V-brake or caliper brake. That means more kinds get made to sit on the shelves.

The latest proprietary addition is funny kinds of bottom brackets and interesting mounting systems for brakes. Shimano has a lot of systems for each of these on their own, and that's just one manufacturer doing planned obsolescence. A lot of the changes do nothing for even advanced usages of the performance bikes.