[Plugin: NextGEN Gallery] Custom template location: Why??

I love the idea that you can create your own custom templates and then trigger them via the shortcode attributes, but why on earth would you save the template php file in the WordPress theme directory??

If I change my theme I have to move the php file.

Why not just keep it in the plugin directory? Then I wouldn’t have to move it every time I change my theme and it would be available to other sites (multisite install) with other themes.

Is there a way to change the plugin’s core php files so that it looks for the template php in a different directory?

https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/nextgen-gallery/