Randy1,
I know that you may feel nontraditional HUD is arcade fringe, but it may also end up being another person's reason for staying. I have to err on the side of folks having a good impression of flight control management as well as what it might have been to be in WW2 aircraft. Our 2D monitors are not capable of satisfying the instantaneous change in focus like the human brain, eyes, ears, muscles and nervous system, so these types of additions do more good than they distract from authenticity.
Also, as with the current HUD, there is an option to turn it off. So, if you want more of a "pure" experience, it will be available. It is like flying in the DA and not using external mode. Just my two cents.....