Just a quick +1 to prioritizing having a pitch-before-duration setting as soon as possible – of course any switch in software has a learning curve, but this is a pretty fundamental change for people who have used the other paradigm for two decades, that it could turn off prospective switchers. At this point I can nearly always input a monophonic line into Finale Speedy Entry as fast or faster than I could play it in real time. Retraining that instinct would be a major impediment to making a switch.
And another +1 for a pitch-before-duration mode. In addition, it would be nice to have the “ghost” cursor to select pitch with the arrow keys then hit the duration key to write the note (ala Sibelius.) I tend to find this very quick and useful, especially when I am without a midi keyboard on a laptop.
I am trying to get used to duration before pitch and the Dorico keys for pitch, but old habits are hard to break. 
Pitch before duration mode would speed thing up for me considerably.
Dealt with at