i would revise the question - maybe not if everyone needs it but - do a lot of people need it?
@Geek_Girl it's an interesting question. Without going into detail, I'd like to comment in a generalistic way. I believe the Core should do nothing more than make the script work and everything after that should be a module. Swiss Army Knives, although interesting conversation starters really lack the ability to perform any job well.
In times gone by you could purchase a basic car and add extras as you wanted them. Today, cars come with almost everything and most owners never get to figure out how to use a lot of stuff.
That's what attracted me to Dolphin in the first place. I only had to install the modules I wanted and if I wanted more features, I could purchase a "premium" version from people like Modzzz.
To me, the decision whether to build a feature into the core comes down to two decisions based on a single question:
Does "everyone need this feature?"
1. If the answer is yes, then it should be in the core.
2. If the answer is no, then it should be a module. Whether that module is included in the package or marketed separately should be a decision by the developer and possibly an opportunity to make a bit of extra income.
I think that Boonex almost had it right. They developed the core, then they added a few modules which allowed people to create sites to suit their needs. Those modules were basic, but they generally seemed to do the job and opened the door for third party developers to do better. One mistake that Boonex made was allowing developers to promote and sell their products without Boonex benefiting financially. To me that was shear madness. Even if they charged $10 a year to promote the module or $1 per sale, they would have received some benefit, but as far as I'm aware, that didn't happen.
I believe Deano should seriously consider how much he continues to develop the core. I believe that should be restricted to bugs, server requirements and overall efficiency. If I was in control, I'd leave the photos module as it is, develop a wiz-bang premium version and sell it separately. Then people have a choice. Stick with what you've got or upgrade. For some people the current module is probably fine.