From what I ken see of Traveller in the future it seems that NE won't take any priority in any forseeable future and YNE as a rulesett is pretty dead, only kept alive by a few gearheads (like me).

This is probably one of the reasons that this board and the TNE mail-list doesn't have much activity.

In a way it sadens me that probably one of the most versatile rules and setting for Traveller remains in the shadows. I have many times though about closing the forume as it generates very little in means of trafick, unless the forum scope changes. I would like to get some input on this.

I have no suggestions for replacement. However, I think T5 may come close in some aspects, but again there is other issues with that edition.
The only system I know of which also got quite coherent design rules are from FASA. Battlete4ch or Renegade Legion. For a Traveller game I would use the latter. However stats and tasks are way different.

However, those rules only let you design starships and tanks (and mechs in BT). The only options we really got is either go with TNE or adopt any of the two MgT or T5 and then use G3 for firearm design.