It amounts to the same thing. Now that there is finally an legal way to extent the original tourist visa you may be more correct but since there has never been any issue, for anyone ever

it had been perfectly acceptable with no downside for people to simply stay and then pay. Unless one needs a Dominican drivers licence or wishes to work in la RD legally there has been little to compel most people to take the next steps, apply for and get residency, and a cedula and DL, and avoid the overstay fees.
Before you disagree, I don't recall anything from Sr. Guzman, or the courts, that contradicts any of this. You may say fine, but they say fee or other more neutral things, and they are the experts.