To be honest I always used a controller for XI.

I also never tried to cast a spell through the menu system as there were too many to choose from.

I used macros because they were easier to manipulate.

In XIV I never use macros because the basic UI structure operates in the same way. I'm okay with giving players the option to go through a layered menu system, but I wouldn't see the rationality in taking the current easier to use one away.

In the current system there are fewer button presses involved when using a controller. Even less if they'd allow you to go into active mode just by confirming a selection on an attackable mob. I don't agree with the Select target > Select target to bring up action bar > select target again to start attacking method they currently have. I understand it's implementation but give us the option to skip one of those steps. To this day it still trips me up when I'm facing a mob but I'm hovered over an ability I don't want to use yet, and I'm still not attacking the mob even though I'm in active mode. It's annoying.

The basic structure of the system is great for controllers in my opinion. Just give us the option to change it.