yeah, FAE (do you mind if i call you that lol?)
if i spent years learning how to transpose and then a technology came along that made that skill relatively obsolete..at least on most electric keyboards.. I would be pissed off too.

So i sympathize and understand all that and don't get pissed back, but i can't help it if I can do what they do just by pressing a button (in fact I can do MORE because most of them are not facile in ALL the keys...and I am!) They, of course, can also use the button when they want to use it as a "tool, not a crutch" (wink) but they either have perfect pitch (assuming that's really a reason to be thrown by playing one note and hearing a different note) and highly unlikely more pianists are born with than others..or they are being just tech-averse or scared or image-conscious or whatever when they decline using the transposer.

As far as your arguments re "transposer sax" and "things played in C will sound different
than in Ab even if it's transposed to Ab"..
well, let's just say i don't have the ears to really appreciate those extreme subleties-
my hat's off to you if you do. i can't imagine if i had a "transpose sax" using it like i use kbd would make things sound "off"
Sure there are parts of a horn that have different timbral qualities than other parts, and moving from one key to another
invokes subtle changes..but that's true whenever we have to play the same tune in different keys for different reasons--the band likes it in another key, the singer needs another key, etc. It doesn't throw the tune "off" to not be in original key, so why would a transposer button on my sax be any different?

I know a great singer in his 70's who took up piano to accompany himself when in his 40's. He's a great comper, and plays(and sings) ONLY in the key of C, and he won't use a transposer--because he's not ready to change what has worked for him. He's borne the brunt of derision from other pianists for years..now he's accepted with just humorous but not unkind jibes. The derision was uncalled for imo..they can't touch him as a singer and he comps as good or better than most..just plays in one key is all. he's not looking to be a sideman..he's a leader.

People who spend years learning something get very angry at those who succeed with a shorter path. Understandable, but not valid.

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Miami Mo