As an old player that has come back to the game after a ten year hiatus I must say I've enjoyed the article.  I think Smemmen brings up some very valid points about how the game could be viewed by Wizards.  I have always preferred Type 1, for me it will always be Type 1 and not vintage, and multi-player and I wish that there would be more support for these.

I hope that Wizards will review the way they focus on the short term players.  They could  improve the support for the fan base that is in it for the long haul. For me they need to focus on the following:
1) Providing a viable format(s) where all cards are playable.  I would not enjoy the game if I came back to it and all my cards were deemed "unusable". I don't think that any of the current formats meet this criteria as their barrier to entry is too high.
2) Providing rewards and incentives for the "older player".  I believe the DCI player rewards are a step in the good direction but that other steps should be taken for the "older players".
3) Reviving the fun for the "older player".  Players will stop for any number of reasons but this does not mean that they will not come back to the game.  When I decided to play again I brought along two new players (my children).

For me MTG is more of a Coke than a Barbie.  At one point in your life you decide what your priorities are and sometimes the games you enjoy fall to the side (you stop drinking the *new coke*).  At some point in your life you may find you can come back to these things and still enjoy them (oh wow, classic coke exists now!).