Is anyone being prevented from using LNAV+V? Dash 8 operator I used to work for used advisory VNAV on normal RNAV approaches with standard RNAV minima. We still had to monitor limiting steps and so on but it worked very well and made for a very low workload approach.
I agree that early descent is a real issue with the current standard of RNAV approach, particularly when tracking via the straight in fix. Using the dog leg rather than the straight in provides additional cues about your position in the approach. I know of many people who have descended, or been about to descend, early on a straight in RNAV. Agreed that any vertical guidance is better than none.