[opinion]elsksa wrote: Unfortunately, it's a fallacious thinking. The "digital imaging world" is chaotic enough that such thinking doesn't have its place. Evidently, nobody will arrest you for doing it wrong but it shouldn't be normalized, especially for working around in-renderer limitations (there are none in-post).
With all due respect for your knowledge, experience, and willingness to share them, I have to disagree in principal. Tools are tools, and as a general rule, neither the intended purposes in the minds of their designers, nor the social/professional norms, ever encompass all the ways those tools will be put to use in the real world. There is no "wrong" way to use a tool by an informed user, just ways that may be more or less effective (even dangerous) to particular people in particular situations. There are certainly countless uninformed ways to use tools, but if the artisan chooses to use Tool X in a particular way, understanding the repercussions and risks, then that is perfectly normal and perfectly fine.
[opinion/]
I've learned a lot over the years when students used a tool "wrong," but quite effectively to accomplish the goal, reminding me that I'm becoming more and more of an old fart stuck in my ways.