What is the rational for having text selections expand always (with 
shift-up, down, left, and right) instead of the normal shrink when 
moving back?

Is there a quick fix for this behaviour? (And shouldn't it be adopted 
for the standard image?)

More generally, in keeping with the principle of least surprise, should 
user interface controls behave like the defacto standard (say, the 
intersection of Mac and Windoze)? Shift-backspace is another surprising 
keybinding.

/Tommy