That is stupid programming.
No it isn't.
I've developed software professionally since 1972, being paid to produce products in COBOL, PL/1, 370 assembler, Intel assembler, Pascal, C, C++, C++Builder, REXX, Visual Basic, VBA, SAS and loads of scripting/macro languages. Backwards compatibility is a very common requirement -- virtually universal for any commercial product that allows users to save files. When the programmer uses a little foresight, it is not difficult. When the programmer doesn't plan for backwards compatibility, it can be tougher but hardly the sort of thing that would put all other development on hold for years.
If this is a difficult feature to incorporate into Finale, the only explanation is that the programmers did not plan for this requirement. My suggestion is that they get help. Find somebody who understands how to plan for inter-release compatibility. When you have the right technical strategy, this is not a difficult problem.
For the less computer-intense folks, here's an analogy. Doing a 4-part voicing in realistic Bach fugue style is terribly difficult if you don't know what you're doing. For an accomplished arranger, it is just about automatic.
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