DC-ATE,
So what you are saying is that there is an appropriate part of the envelope to conduct these sort of tests. Thats surely true even of fbw aircraft. The design of modern transport aircraft has moved on. Lots would argue that this has been achieved successfully and that the modern product is improved.
Having flown products of Boeing, Fokker, MD and Airbus I would strongly argue that is the case!
Even in its most degraded state this fbw airbus has at least the protections afforded by conventional aircraft. Regrettably it would appear from the initial report that a test was being undertaken at an inappropriate altitude (and as you rightly point out you wouldn't conduct stall tests in a conventional swept wing jet at that same part of the envelope).