Rivendell has changed. It's kind of a shame, in that I quite like Grant Petersen's philosophy and I agree with about 50% of what he says. One of things I like is the philosophy of buying things to last, treating them well and repairing them, rather than discarding them. I think the company is coming up against the reality of the modern market, though, where good intentions and sound ideas alone don't keep the lights on.
The reason I say it's a shame is that Grant is obviously struggling to find a balance between what his guiding philosophy tells him to sell and what he needs to sell to keep his company afloat. It's never pleasant to see a man have to compromise and water down his beliefs, even if it is in service of keeping people employed. Still, Grant has never been deceptive, and wherever Rivendell goes, I think he will be honest about it, and won't try to hide.
He's also Americana rather than French-influenced. Look at how he spells it "derailer" rather than "derailleur," after a conversation with Sheldon Brown. You can also examine his forks and their trail, even on custom Rando bikes he refuses to give clients low trail geometry.