Core needs to be archived because its very existence squats on a legacy that's upstream of blind downloads and perceived authority.

This is bad for both ossifists with a high bar for change, and people that want changes Core can veto or bikeshed.

Forks would then have to earn downloads and influence on merit and not the legacy of those that came before.

On the one hand Knots being tip-of-the-spear in challenging Core warrants support, but on the other chosing the wrong hill to die on, poor change control, and overall PR posture risks strengthening Core's position. It'll take a 3rd fork to thread the needle before any serious progress can be made in weakening the Bitcoin shadow government that is the NGO's funding Core.

BTCD and Libbitcoin are the most important projects no one talks about because the Core base controls mining.