Mr Bryce, I'm sorry....but
'You won't develop a scan in the DA42'
Well if you don't you will never pass your IR, actually you will never make it to test day! Fair enough a lot more information is 'centrally' available; but you must develop a scan to interpret it quickly. The DA42 is no different than any aircraft in any IF environment. If you scan breaks down, then what your trying to achieve will inevitably fall apart until you fix it.
'You won't develop situational awareness is a DA42'
Complete and utter twaddle. Do you understand what situational awareness is? It doesn't matter what you fly, situational awareness can be lost. It relates to the pilot, the machine and the environmet which they are flying. If anything the DA42 should AID you situational awareness (And that is even with the Garmin 1000 moving map switched off!)
'You will be more geared towards a glass cockpit environment with the DA42'
Correct me if I am wrong, however the majority of people training towards the IR test are hoping that their next jump is onto a commercial aircraft. EFIS, or glass cockpits, have been around since the early to mid eighties! I can hardly think of many commercial turboprops or jets that have steam driven gauges these days? There are a few, but you are unlikely to be flying them. But then again, as you say, it depends what you want to do with your flying career.
The DA42 makes life easier...
Yeah it probably does, but that's called progress. The 737NG makes life easier compared to the 737-300. The 737-300 was easier to operate than the -200. Its about time the GA world followed the same pattern.
As for your...'you can teach monkeys to fly it' comment. Well, I resent that. You could teach monkeys to fly anything matie, whether they fly it 'well' or not is a different matter all together!
I've met too many folk that sneer at the DA42 and believe that they are better pilots because they did their IR on some 25 year old clapped out twin with analogue diles. Many aren't! Do you think your future employers give a monkeys uncle what you did your IR in? Its your flying ability that counts, amongst other things!