I wouldn't say crazy. It's an architectural decision. Software, just like a building or other structure, has an architecture--that is a design philosophy. The implementation of that architecture is a different matter.
For example one may not like a building (the architecture) yet it may be well built and accomplish it's task. Or one may like the building but find it is shoddily built.
I do not like the architecture of BC. I dislike database applications--at least all the ones I've come across. That said I think it has been programmed, that is built, well. However others hate the idea of opening files and then saving them etc. That is too "technical". Each to his/her own.
If you prefer MapSource do what I do and keep using it. If BaseCamp is more your cup of tea use it.
Actually, you CAN save a file.
BaseCamp does store everything in a single database file, which is updated automatically as you proceed.
But just as you can Import a file, such as a GPX file, you can also "save" a file via the File/Export command. Be sure to specify what file type you want. The default is GPX.
I still find files very useful for transferring data and keeping data safely backed up. I don't trust the BC database.
There are dangers of not having an automatic save.
For example: I spent on a different program all morning working on a file. At the end, I accidentally closed the wrong file down - the one I was working on. I told it not to save. The entire work lost into cyberspace. Go to start go not collect $200! Of course there are dangers with an automatic save, but I think on the whole an undo is easier than start afresh!
My sympathies. That must have been infuriating. You can still have auto save and have a choice to save. It works like that in Excel spreadsheets. It saves to a backup file that only exists while the speadsheet is open. If you choose not to save it deletes the backup file. That's a far less tedious way of managing your files and gives the user a choice.
Eons ago I worked on a DEC-10 mainframe ("timeshare") computer. Desktop computers didn't exist then. Damn thing crashed every 10 minutes or so. As a result I learned to save and save often. I do so to this day. Pretty sure it didn't have an "auto save" function.
Ah yes I remember those days well. The days of big mainframes, dumb terminals and even dumber users (present company excepted). I used to repair modems in those day which measured about 2ft x 2ft and could transmit AND receive simultaneously at the astonishing rate of 2400 b/s.
