Yeah the tools dont get an update as they should. This is why people develop plugins that got the extra mile. Take the NExTool for instance its just insane, it keeps the original form of your model without crushing it. Artisan is still as bad as it was in version 3 of Maya. The UV editor isnt great, its still lacking in the unwrap dept, Ive been using the new UV master in ZBrush of late as it does the job that no other unwrapper does, beats the crap out of roadkill and those other pelters that shrink uv areas where you actually need to paint high detail, also kickstandlabs have bought out Stretchmesh a while back, apart from its uses for rigs, it alone will bash the crap out of the softmod tool plus it has in built collision abilities that could benefit any modellers work flow - christ I could moan all day long...but you get the picture.

Jay