But it was the alternate 3.5 that had a LOT of ongoing and consistent support.
It's like when people get antsy about phone apps that work fine but don't update - you invest in certain things long-term and you want to know that they'll continue to have a life that you can grow into.
I won't say its the reason, but as of recent discussions show, but there are a lot of people who are looking for "The One" RPG to learn and stick with for potentially a decade+, and Paizo hit the sweet spot of picking up the life-reigns of 3.5.
Speaking of adventures; I feel like they're a vital on-ramp to games. I'm perfectly happy writing my own adventures most times, but when I approach a new game for evaluation, I like to pop open an adventure and either run or heavily loot it. Usually because;