Solving the ext3 latency problem

The argument that "it's a single-user system, so who cares" seems to me to be crazy talk? Like many Linux users I run Apache + database instances that allow anonymous users anywhere on the net to access some of my dynamically-updated files. I may be mistaken, but it looks to me like the current data=writeback mode gives an increased opportunity to disclose things like my database's (foolishly) unencrypted password or my personal email to the whole web after a crash. Not OK, regardless of the shorter sync times.