As for this change - changing the name of a returned object's property from "name" to "status" hardly seems like sufficient reason to break backward compatibility. The only thing arguing in it's favor is that it would seem that less that a dozen people worldwide have used the API thus far - so it's probably now or never, at the least.
If we're going to break backward compatibility, I suspect a more compelling rationale would be required.
Getting back on topic after the entertaining and obviously futile discussion of backwards compatibility, I think in this case the property name "name" on the data object of an Ajax callback is one that few people will understand. Meaning at first look (or a look after a period of rest) they will think, "name of what". I believe strongly that the payload API will be more well received if the property name is "status".
-Dan