Illustrator History Panel...

I am solidly on the "PRO HISTORY" side of this equation.

I don't need it to be non-linear. I don't need it to allow me to pick and choose what steps to remove. I may not want to even REMOVE anything, I may just really need to see the list of all that I did and the order in which I did it visually, rather than by recreating it backwards with Ctrl-Z.

Example of one use case where the lack of a history is MADDENING: Currently I am testing an Illustrator add-on, and I notice a bug, probably with our add-on's formatting rather than with Illustrator, but nonetheless I need to research it--I'd copied and pasted some images into an illustrator doc, and then I did some painting, added some other objects, modified some stuff, moved some things around, and was doing this test over the course of more than one day. And lo and behold, later I realize my paint objects aren't in the right place in the document. Some set of actions made the paint objects look wrong. Did the bug happen because I copied and pasted photos and THEN added paint? Or did it only happen when I modified those paint objects in some way? Or did re-arranging some objects or changing their opacity cause the bug? (Or maybe it's not a bug at all, but BAU because of some setting I did that Illustrator logically used as a reason to move my paint over?) I need to see the order of what I did at a glance.

I know most folks aren't testing Illustrator plugins, but the same curiosity to see a history at a glance rather than hit Ctrl-Z a million times (and then, I guess, memorize my history? backwards? or type it out in a text document?) would be useful for SO many reasons--for revisiting a technique you realized looks really good, or to see what a co-worker was doing, or simply learn Illustrator by practicing. I can't see the reason not to add a history. It would save SO MUCH TIME and confusion!

I would like to see History implemented in Illustrator so I can revert many changes at once, instead of one at a time. I'd rather have one long running process so I can walk away and grab a cup of coffee instead of: ctl-z, processing / life draining away, ctl-z, processing, ctl-z, processing...

I think their are some very valid reasons to have a history panel.  I just don't think it was asked the right way.  And I don't think those responding understand that some people have different needs.  Just because you have no need for it doesn't discount the fact that others may.  And by the looks of this thread and dozens like it, I think their is a substantial demand for it. I need the panel too.  More than once, including today, someone "thought" they did a save as after making changes, but didn't.  Overwriting a good file that we did not want modified.  And because they closed the file, we cannot go back and undo these changes.  Thus creating days worth of work to recreate.  Now yes, they were an idiot and should pay more attention, but having the ability through a history panel would be nice so that these could be undone.

Now for those skeptics and those who just want to bombard a bunch of long list of commands and say, "See this wouldn't Work".  You are wrong and here is why.  Premier Pro and After Effects each have the same ability.  Now the difference is these history changes are tracked by the effect, by the object, by... well a number of individual history lists.  And yes, if you go back 10 steps, it un-does all of them until that point.  You cannot just undo step four without undoing all the steps after.  This WOULD be handy however at a basic level.  I would have been able to save a weeks worth of work that now I have to pay someone to recreate due to a simple, and honest mistake.  One mistake, even I have made before. 

To answer this so you understand, I do not want to have to:

Ctrl Z

Ctrl Z

Ctrl Z

Ctrl Z

Ctrl Z

Ctrl Z

Ctrl Z

Ctrl Z

That would be ridiculous and unprofessional.  REALLY...!

now we are at 2016 and we are paying you MONTHLY! Please, for heaven's sake, add a history panel!

I love how some want to defend Adobe by not having the History Panel because of redundant "Pen Tool Click" postings, but I work in Photoshop as well and guess what?  It does the very same thing you're saying isn't worth doing in Illustrator.  Because I use Brush Strokes constantly as well as the Pen Tool and Healing Brush.  Guess what it posts repeatedly?  You got it!  It posts the usage of those tools repeatedly.  Which is NO different than what it would be in Illustrator and it IS useful.  I use History quite often, especially when I'm trying to perfect something that is very tedious.   Why such a panel is not in Illustrator is such a waste, it would be one of the most used panels in Illustrator, not THE most used, but one of them.

Even using the pen tool, it would be nice to reach over and back it up to a point, make a snapshot, return to points exactly and start again.  CTRL+Z works now mind you, but sometimes visually seeing something just works better.  Some people and I am one of those, love visual ques, we work in a visual environment and visual tools are good.  One of the better reasons for this panel being added would be a more Uniform Feel between Illustrator and Photoshop.  There is NO difference in how this information is handled, I don't care if it is Vector or Bitmap, undoing a step is undoing a step.  Matters not if it's done CTRL+Z or History Panel.  Works just the same.

Exactly!

One issue with just having the Ctrl-Z option, is that you can't see where you are in a great number of undos.  So, If I make 20 pen changes on one part of the document, and 20 more on another, it's very easy to Ctrl-Z too much, or not know when the changes are affecting which area.  In Photoshop, the history panel solves this issue precisely.  What is the resistance to adding this feature?  I see every feature under the sun available except this obvious one.

I've asked for a history panel several years ago....still would like one.

The data tracking code is already done (for undos); only thing needed is a display panel with selection choice....easy peasy coding.

If objectionable by a minority; suggest the panel be made optional for the user; thus solved both kinds of users desires.

A few ctrl+z's is OK, but after ten it is too tedious and much easier to jump back via a list choice.

I'd love to have a history panel in Illustrator.

Honestly I agree with original poster, it's "REALLY" hard to find reason for a history panel, the best way to learn Illustrator is not by reading a list of commands, but by watching and following a video, so no need for a history panel there, and even if you get really really far down the road on some type that has been outlined, stroked, and had specific effects added you can easily just click and see exactly what's effecting any element you're working with and then apply those effects to other elements, the history is recorded live and embedded in the elements, if you know how to use illustrator then you know how to access all the information about what you've done to any elements you've created.

Disregarding the whole History panel /non-linear issues, being a UX Developer/Designer, I find not having a control-z alternative for multiple steps a big sore spot. Try to seperate the issues of "undoing" the work and view it with a perspective of a pure timeline of changes.

For example:

I want to see what an object looked like before I moved multiple points 20 times back? To be clear, I merely want to see it. I am not thinking about reverting at this point. I just want to look at what it originally looked like for comparison to see if I like my changes or if I'd rather start over.

A Proposed Solution:

If you can control-z back to a certain point, why not have a function where, say for instance,  holding down cntrl+z for...3 seconds sets off a popup that allows you to choose the number of cntrl-z steps you would like to go back. This would allow the user to do cntrl-z hold 3 seconds, type 20 and enter and go back. You could even go a step further and have a comparison to the present state window. And  an option to "Keep current state". 

That's a couple of clicks as opposed to 20 cntrl-z's (while trying to remember what you current iteration looks like) then 20 shift contrl+z's to get back to the current state.

HOW IS 40 clicks better than 5?