"If by "it" you mean the ferrule, popping it loose was a mistake. The ferrule is meant to be the reference for a properly adjusted cable (about 1mm of cable showing behind the ferrule). "

No, actually, it was the rubber boot I popped loose, allowing it to ride on the free part of the cable so it wouldn't bind or otherwise interfere with motion of the cable.

And you're right, the crimped-on ferrule is slightly less than 1mm out of the cable jacket, but the rubber boot projected far enough out that it kept the cable from retracting as far as it wanted to do by spring pressure at the transmission end. If the retraction spring pressure were greater, it would reliably draw the ferrule into the hole in the boot, but it isn't.

I will use the 1mm slack as a starting point to adjust the shift quality and shift point to my taste (which I'm sure will be pretty close to factory setting).

Bob