Agreed.
PQs have their purpose, and most of the functionality they provide would need to be retained by any future search/retrieve method. Eliminating or banning that functionality would be a bad thing.
Also, it isn't completely clear what problems you see with PQs that would lead you to suggest banning them. Maybe if you could explain that part further, we'd have a better understanding of your position.
That would certainly help. As a start, it's important to understand what a PQ *is*. A PQ is comprised of three parts
1. A form based search interface which allows one the filter cache listings based on several criteria. One can select caches which are within a specified proximity of a specific point, select caches with a range of D/T ratings, size of the container, type of cache, the placed date, and whether or not the cache has certain attributes.
2. The ability to save multiple search queries and schedule any of them such they can automatically be replayed on a periodic basis.
3. A mechanism for encapsulating the list of caches produced by the search in a format that can be saved and transferred to a GPS enabled device.
The OP is basically asking for a replacement of the first part, using a map with filters to perform the search. Some of that work has already been done. From the map page, one can filter out caches based on the cache type, and pan/zoom the map to select a region where the cache are located. Once that's done, one can "Save as Pocket Query" which basically just populates the PQ search interface with some criteria chosen on the map. Then one can further filter the list based on attributes, and other fields on the PQ form.
The caches along a route features goes a step further in that it basically uses Google maps to create a polygon around a "route". There have been discussions in the past about being able to created a box or polygon around an area on the map, and that sort of functionality does exist in GSAK (however GSAK is a native application that only runs on a PC). The GSAK application has been around for years and nobody has stepped up to the plate to port it to MacOS. What are the chances that someone will turn it into a mobile app that runs on all the major mobile platforms? Note also, that one can go from the "new search" to the map to show a filtered view of caches on the map, but caches that appear on the map can't be saved as a GPX file (or imported into the PQ form). One has to "turn off filters" in order to get the side panel that has the "Save as Pocket Query" button. We've been told that there are issues between the filters available on the search form and the map page and that it was being worked on. That was a couple of years ago.
So essentially, the OP is asking for a much more full features filter panel on the map, and the ability to select caches within a box/polygon. The "drag-n-drop" to a tree view, and I'm not sure how useful that would be.
Getting all that to work as a mobile app adds a whole other level of complexity.
Personally, I wasn't offended by the "ban PQ" comment. I don't care whether it's called a PQ or not, as long as all the functionality available with a PQ is still available. I did, however, roll my eyes at: "I want things done immediately, life is too short for waiting when theres a few FTF's up for grabs!"