IMHO, they should have just made the slicing missions take more time than the equivilant missions for other skills. If they made the slicing mission take 20 minutes instead of 4 minutes this alone would reduce the income generated without the nerf to the positive of credits actually being earned instead of losing money.
While I do agree a change was needed, and yes I have slicing on 2 of my chracters, I think the method taken was detreimental in many ways. Slicing was designed as has been said for people that do not want to do a traditional crafting skill, the nerf to it was akin to doubling the chance for a failure on other gathering skills.