Thankfully I almost never use the pumpy tank feature of the Big Dripper. It's only for when I absolutely can't drip. So I keep the tank full most of the time and it's always ready when I need it - unless it starts autofeeding, which happens once in a while for some reason. But yeah, I agree: seeing what's left in the tank would be good.
This glass tank BD looks fragile because, basically, the pyrex tube holds the top and bottom parts together by friction alone. Any shearing force will crack it I reckon. Glass tanks are only properly solid when the top and bottom parts are screwed together and compress the glass, ala Mini Protank II.