amm
Just for info, Maya doesn't.
I dug up some info on this and apparently, there isn't something in the interface by default, but one can open the Tool Settings floating window and there you'll see the axis orientation displayed. And changing it is easily done with a ctrl+shift+RMB menu.
amm
So unfortunately, yeah it is a kind of negative, of “others have it”.
For clarity sake, I never thought “others have it” is a good argument. In fact I've expressed my aversion to it occasionally, arguing that things should be copied/reproduced when that thing is intrinsically good, not just because other users are accustomed to it in other apps. An example of SideFX going with “others have it” w/o (maybe) considering whether it's actually better, is the “new” default move gizmo which no longer has negative axis (by default) and for plane manipulation has those small square thingies that are harder to grab than to simply point the cursor between two axis. Some people love this Maya style gizmo for some reason, even though it's demonstrably slower to work with it than with the older one.
BUT, from an ethical and business pov, it makes sense to offer your clients what they want just because “others have it” even when you think it's not better for them, long term. Otherwise, one can invoke something that other companies (and governments, but we ought to keep politics out of these forums) have been guilty of and rightfully so - arrogance. The arrogance to think you know what's best for others. Or worse, to act on those convictions, as you're free to think whatever you want, as I do, related to the new gizmo. The arrogant thing to do of SideFX would've been to not implement it. Or to remove the old one, thus not offering people the choice to make good or bad decisions, as they deem it's best for them, rightly or wrongly.
amm
It seems they choose the worst possible ergonomics as reference, that is, Maya one, or to say precisely, no reference. As far as I know, Maya developing ‘philosophy’ when it comes to modeling tools, it is to avoid any significant effort, any change in UI exactly for that purpose, and Houdini seems to admirably follow that style.
To make things work easier, i.e. with less effort, is a desirable goal. The crucial thing to keep in mind is to not compromise on flexibility and accuracy while trying to achieve that, something that I think you believe Maya has failed to do. I take your word for it, as I know very little about Maya.
Also, I think we ought to be a bit more accurate (and fair) here and acknowledge the fact that SideFX's business model is very different than Autodesk's, in a good way. So far, many RFEs of mine and other users' have been implemented since I came here around H14. I don't see any evidence to think Adsk is that willing to engage directly with its users. I don't think anyone believes this is a controversial thing to say.
I'm sure Houdini will suffer some UI changes to accommodate new tools and workflows, as they're being added and already suffered a few. The pace at which this happens on the UI/modeling side, as you know, it's not something that impresses me positively. But to deny its existence, I think is a mistake (not that you do).
