The thinking behind it is quite simple. The new site is linked to different back-end systems so I wanted to install it in the correct location on the server so it was ready to launch ON the launch night.
However, a lot of the file names are similar to the current site so it was impossible to run them along side each other in the same location. The alternative was to either put them in a different folder until the launch. Although the old site would then have had to be deleted, new files copied to the root directory and then file paths to back-end systems changed = site not launched instantly.
I was thinking this morning though that the old site could be put back up as there was a minor set-back yesterday meaning the site couldn't be made public until Friday anyway - hence why the site is now back online
Believe me, I thought exactly the same as regards to uploading the new files and then just changing the entry link, but unless all of the new files were going to be put in a folder other than the root directory permanently, it didn't seem plausable.
And by the way...no one is going to ban you for speaking your mind
In fact I'm glad you've mentioned it! (I've also sent you a PM)