There is EVERYTHING wrong with "a massive long list of dated folders with dated files".
Tut tut, there are other ways than the Mixture way. Unless you can actually present some clear, logical arguments
against a Pictures folder with dated subfolders, I suggest you accept that there is more than one way to skin a cat.
In any case, you're talking about something different. The pictures/files have to be somewhere. They may as well be in a logical place/order.
Then you can muck around with them in Lightroom/Picasa to your heart's content.
I really cannot believe you are so hard-over on so many issues, Mixture.