Hans Aberg writes:
 >   So it is possible to have a lower, development level code that works
 > entirely different from what is the case now, but on top of that building
 > development or user levels which work pretty normal, relative to the
 > already existing TeX and LaTeX2e standards.
 >
 >   But then with this new, entirely new lowest development level code, it
 > will be possible to add entirely new standards of producing code. Then
 > these new ways will be orthogonal to the old LaTeX2e/TeX standards, so that
 > these do not conflict.

Well, we already have this to some extent.  The @ symbol becomes a
normal letter while reading cls and sty files.  In the new regime we
also make _ and / into letters.  That means you get to keep the normal
meanings of _ and / while processing documents (highly desirable).

 >   One idea one might explore is a TeX environment: It has all the old TeX
 > names defined locally within that environment, but those definitions expand
 > to the global \tex/<command name> definitions.

This is akin to 2.09 compatibility mode.  With smart editors you don't
need it.  I am happy to have a keystroke in my editor insert \tex/ for
me (and perhaps display it in a different colour?)  If you don't want
the clutter, you might (in a smart editor like Emacs) hide the long
prefixes (either altogether - displaying the result in a different
colour, or hide the prefix as `...' - as is done with outlining).