"I really want to get some of the functionality for layers, grouping, and named selection sets all within one object management interface instead of having 3 separate mechanisms for those things."

I wish you the best for this... If you make it work, it will be the greatest thing Moi has.... I wouldn't mind having all of them... In future releases, you will probably add to import options, so an obj file can be handled with named objects and groups and selection sets, while an Autocad file or similar, could be easily manipulated using just layers. You will probably have to recognize all of them... Rhino for example, has a great list of import options.

I am sure you will find a nice way to do things, again....