Well, that looks like a fun discussion -- I don't think I'll get involved!
For one thing my flash skills aren't up to much simply because I do so little of it -- no studio, no models, not many "product"-type projects, so I'd end up sounding like a dork...
I skimmed through it and it sure sounds like the guy doesn't grasp metering very well. I find that when someone asks the "what settings do you use" question, they don't know how to figure stuff out on their own very well. As if there is a standard "sunny day" vs "shade" rule of settings. You have to figure out the settings at that very moment in time. And a histogram is so very helpful... 






