Not really seeing the problem - but then again I never had a problem leveling weapons or getting materials
7000 glimmer? Oh no, I might have to actually use a glimmer item on a heroic- less than a day to max this out on one character.
2 Exotic Shards - I have ten exotics - and no I don't play hardcore, I've just learned how to save up and buy only what I want from Xur. Not to mention you can buy these from Xur now for 7 strange coins I believe.
As far as leveling the weapon again, why do people think we have ten bounties now? Do those, plus Daily Story, plus Weekly - you'll have the armor or weapon leveled by half in one day.
I'm about as casual as you get with this game, I only play with friends, haven't beaten the raid (one or two bosses glitching) and I expect to have my Last Word, Ice Breaker, and Alpha Lupi traded in and leveled up without issue in a day or so.
Not to mention the fact that if you DON'T want to upgrade your old gear, you don't have to. There will be new strikes and missions to get new legendaries which will put your old gear to shame. If people haven't figured out by now what this game is then by all means, go play something else.
That being said, damn Bungie, put a leash on your PR before he incites a riot.