A better analogy would be "I had this stereo that played music for all my friends to hear. Now that I have thrown away that stereo, they can no longer hear the music. Why not?"
Im actually really enjoying it. It saves the whole "let me go check the internet for the optimal build for this patch" thing. It allows you to access you specs major abilities when they would be opportune for the level. But that is just me. Everyone saying it is bad because it is like a different game or it gets rid of some choice you had.... other games are also ditching the talent model also. I don't think they are doing it frivolously. I think data is showing this model as superior to the former.
But everyone here probably agrees with you, as everyone posting here is a subscriber. People don't subscribe to a game they do not enjoy, and SWTOR subs are on the rise if the level of activity harbinger the past few weeks is any indication.