Immich does use traditional folders (it's one of the parameters) but it does a copy there. It stores the pictures in multiple formats/resolutions and does some caching and whatnot, so it probably wouldn't be a nice sight. Right now. On the other hand it does organize your collection in the pattern that you give it, for instance year/month/day_hour_minute.jpg. It could probably be implemented in the future to have the meta-images somewhere hidden and leave the collection alone, but that all requires effort and coordination. And everyone has their photos organized in their own little snowflake method.

Having said that, I totally understand your point. I'll yell at the cloud with you.

There are external libraries in immich. You point folder path to immich and you can see everything, but you cant eddit or delete