You'll notice that my SSW D.I incorporates all the changes you mentioned, as well as a different shape to the rudder, and different cross-section in the fuselage. You can even see the steel tubing framework in the cockpit view. The V-struts were steel tubing, but they had a wooden fairing attached to reduce drag, so they didn't have to tape the struts like the French did.
I still call it a copy because the Germans started by studying the Nieuport 17, but as you say, there were many differences in the German version.