Yes I totally agree that stability is top priority. Less than security to me, as it has been said previously: Linux computers aren't hackers' main targets anyway and maximal security is for "forefront" computers, like website servers, not standard computers behind NATs, with closed ports and slow connections. Again, it's a lot easier to add a Windows machine in a botnet than a Linux one. So: keep cool, don't panic.
Of course I took a look at Gnome 3 and I think I can get used to it quite quickly, but I don't see it as a reason to take the risk to break some people's system just to have the newest thing: first 3.2 in testing, then see how it lives with LMDE. And only then push it to latest, making it as smooth for everybody as possible (some users are just lambda people unhappy of Windows 7 or just having too old hardware for it and wanting better than the dying Windows XP.. don't even mention the words "compiling" or "format-reinstall with new release" to them).
Gnome3 from my point of view it's about "cosmetics", things that can easily ruin an afternoon with crap like icon disappearance, panels messed up or fonts issues... for little advantages. No, there's just this important point: applications that use networking. Security issues of course, but as said it's not as critical as Windows machines (blame first all these corporations that based their workflow on Internet Explorer 6 and it's ActiveX sh*t.. and don't want to upgrade now and flood the internets because in DDoS-botnets now). But there's another point: improvements. New functionalities, better performances, enhanced privacy control and so on. Personally I use the official binaries of Firefox and Thunderbird 9, no problem (just ia32-libs to install, and here we go). Since I can compile and run then (clean and complete) without any sh*tstorm with dependencies and so on, and since Mozilla introduced a -very- quick release since the UP3, why not pushing them in the repos outside of the update packs ?
Also, I do think some people will get happy to see their hardware working natively with new kernels.
TL;DR:
"known stable and evolving quickly" = pushing outside UP
"unnecessary and/or known to break things easily" = pushing when it's deemed ready and stable
"security fix" = pushed in haste if über-critical only
"KDE, XFCE, Flux users" = pay attention to stability too when interface changes like Gnome 2 -> 3
Happy new year, to all users of "Keep Walking Forward But Not Fall Off The Cliff-Linux", previously known as LMDE