Based on your feedback here, similar comments in Design Partner reviews, and some challenges we were having with explaining the whole thing to our extended IBM team, I revised our release strategy.

The new version of Notes/Domino shipping later this year will now be a single Lotus Notes/Domino Social Edition 8.5.4 release. As an administrator, you will be able to configure the code to deploy in the manner in which you intend. If you want it to just be a maintenance release, you won't have to enable the new features. If you want the new stuff including embedded experiences, you'll be able to deploy all of those components. If you want something in-between, that will be an option.

Beyond this release, it will be time to end the confusion. Our next feature release, planned for another 18 months or so past Notes/Domino Social Edition 8.5.4, will definitely increment the first digit. Whether that is a 9 or something funkier, we'll just have to see :-)