The current base shield rating for the Python is 390, you can see it in-game in the Shipyard. So the base after the balance changes will be 260 (assuming the -33% doesn't change).
As an aside, Mike has said that the dev team has always wanted the outfitting screen to provide more useful numbers, like the actual shield rating of your ship (which depends on both the stats of the ship and the stats of the shield generator module you choose), and this will be coming in the future.
No, it's balancing. Is it unfortunate that it wasn't caught earlier? Of course. But throwing your toys out of the pram every time someone makes a mistake or doesn't have time to do something sooner isn't going to get you very far in life. Stop acting like a spoiled child and people might take your opinions a little more seriously.
Then I'm afraid you'll find it hard to find many games to play, other than ones that are released and then never supported.
As SuBSynk said just a few posts before you, balancing is an ongoing process that's the sign of a healthy game and responsible dev team.
Not having a publisher doesn't magically grant limitless time, money and other resources. Quite the opposite, if anything.
No, it was to allow them to make the game they wanted to make without external creative interference. That's a very different thing.
As I said, good luck with that.
The problem is that we have no idea what those numbers mean. They could put 9000 and it would not matter. How do modules effect that number? Mike said he wanted numbers in the HUD a long time ago. If you can't get them in the HUD just tell us in here. Mike also said this chart, http://i.imgur.com/omzijnI.png, is not accurate. Give us an accurate chart. Let us know how things work so we can make interesting decisions and have a real discussion. Let us test things in a Public Test Server and not demand more money from us to test. Give us DATA to form rational opinions and have constructive discussions. Else all we do is be mad at nerfs and nerd rage all day.