Actually bri', it didn't start with "this". It's a pattern of behaviour with you.
I've updated 3 live sites to 4.5.3 recently and it took all of about 15 minutes and have experienced none of your issues.
I highly doubt that I'm just "lucky".
I also just got through setting up a dev environment with 4 installations of of 4.5.3, all in about 10-15 minutes, and all not experiencing issues.
My issue with you isn't the topic, my issue with you is your negativity, your attitude, and you're continued disgruntled display towards DNN.
Remember, this is a free, open source product. No one is forcing you to use it, and no one "owes" you an explanation.
Your continued bashing of the benefactor program is just another example of all of the above observations.
My ignore button poke was just that, a poke. A feature like that would be reserved, by me, in it's use towards community "members" that offer nothing of value towards the progression of the product or the help of others having issues.
You would certainly fit my criteria for it's use, forum wide.