This is one of the reasons that the Macintosh UI is so popular and often-imitated. But Unix programmers especially have proven perverse in this regard because they flout the rule at the smallest opportunity. Whether Unix anarchists like it or not, standards are as necessary to UI as they are to protocols and file formats. Applications programmers cannot be expected to relearn new widget APIs every six months, or re-create component frameworks for every project. Computer users should not be asked to put up with inconsistent menus, key-bindings, and mouse actions.
Life is full of trade-offs.
If we ever want Linux to achieve the kind of usability and ubiquitousness Windows has, then we as programmers must accept compromises to our personal esthetics. You will know exactly where, when, and how you are deviating from the UI standard, and can warn later maintainers appropriately. Standards rarely if ever satisfy anybody. Technical excellence does not guarantee success. This is the argument fostered by the KDE folks, and it has some merit.