This is a win-win

First off, go read this.  Go ahead, I'll be here when you get back.

http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/3300854#blog

Back?  Good, now my thoughts.

I've really got no problem with these changes, and let me explain why. . .

Threat multipliers

If you look at the state of the game, today, most agree that threat already doesn't matter. Either you have hit a mob and have threat on it, or you haven't hit a mob at all and don't have threat on it. The whole system is very binary right now (sure there are those first 2-3 GCDs of a fight where you may lose threat, but only if an ability misses).  Blizzard changing the base multiplier from 3x to 5x changes nothing except help low geared and new tanks hold threat against raid geared DPS.

This is a win-win.

Active defensive abilities

I don't know how many of you remember tanking as a paladin in BC. The name of the game was to keep Holy Shield up at all times or be one shot (and subsequently replaced by a warrior).

End of story.

The thought of adding more active (read button pushed) defensive abilities makes me a happy and more engaged tank. Anybody who can read a guide can put together an adequate gear set that will let them survive a boss fight right now.  But it will take a good player to use the right abilities at the right time.

This is a win-win.

Conclusion

Back in the day, you could tell a good tank from bad tank by their ability to not threatcap (or at least have a higher threatcap for) the DPS.  That is why I have already seen a lot of crying on forums about this change.  People are stuck in the notion that threat generation is the only way to show how skilled of a player you are as a tank.

I took up tanking 6 years ago because, when the chips are down and the shit hits the fan, I pride myself on being able to eek out those few extra seconds of survival that gets us that boss kill.  It feels good to do that now, imagine how much better it will feel when those few extra seconds were directly tied to how good of a player you are, and not your ability to follow Mr. Robot's gear suggestions.

Going forward, the good tanks will be separated from the bad not by threat, but by their ability to mitigate damage and survive a pull.  I welcome this change. 

The way I see it, anyone who is actually enjoys playing a tank should be praising these changes.