@Shazaam

Spec tree, sphere grid, job ranks, license board... take your pick, it's all the same concept with a different GUI.
So all the systems are exactly the same, with slight tweaks. It's a customization system, that promotes character advancement and growth... with a different font on each. Where the customization occurs and how much can be customized is up to the player in every single system.

They are all the same. Different graphics, different numbers, but inherently all the same.
First, you're oversimplifying the differences between these systems by just throwing them all under a broad category of "customization system". These systems are actually quite different and the differences matter: they affect how you are able to develop and customize your character and your game experience.

Second, I don't get the point you're trying to get across by even implying that their just the same thing. Why would you even be arguing that the OP's system is better than the current system in FFXIV if they are all "exactly" the same thing?

This isn't just a difference of "GUI", "graphics", and "font". These systems have different RULES, these rules determine where your character is going to start off, how and at what pace your character will be able to develop, how your characters abilities and skills will interact, what limits will you have on character development and customization.

Think again about each of these systems:spec tree, sphere grid, license board. They do things differently.

A sphere grid starts you off in a particular class role, you have to get through barriers to gain abilities from other classes. The system encourages you to follow one path by making it easier for you, but doesn't prevent you from going in another direction if you really want to, you'll just have to pass those imposed barriers to get there. In the endgame you can have your characters start to all resemble one another and lose class uniqueness. One character that's fully developed on the sphere grid is essentially the same as another that is fully developed.

The license board has a similar endgame: one character that has all the licenses is essentially the same as another character that has all the licenses. The only difference is they summon different espers and use different quickenings. The difference here is you all start in the middle and start to move outwards. There aren't any barriers here; your characters start off undefined and you can choose right away what you want to do with them.

In a spec tree everyone in a particular class starts off the same way. You may develop the same way for a while, but after a while you branch off into specializations. However your end game is limited in two ways: your class never blends into or borrow from other classes and you can't be "everything at once", you can't be equally effective as a tank/healer/dps because you only have a limited amount of points to apply.

Do you really think WOW would play the same if it had a license board rather than a spec tree?

Saying that these systems are the same is an insult to the developers that created these systems to try and bring you a unique game experience.

What you're saying is like saying that all thrillers are exactly the same thing because they are fall into the same genre. Sure, thrillers share some broad themes that make up their genre. Sure, some great writer can write a great thriller and everyone come along and start copying him so that the genre starts to feel "formulaic" and people think that that particular style=thriller. But another writer can always come along and break the mold and write a thriller but do it differently and get rid of that idea that a particular formula=genre. That doesn't mean that the original formula was bad or shouldn't be used again, it's just sometimes refreshing to see people go about things in a different way.