Teeler

I've been playing over on youtube a bit, and I see some great shortcuts and different techniques to build blocks or pieces-parts, etc. One that comes to mind is Missouri Star's toot for easy pinwheels by sewing two charms completely around the 4 sides, and cutting "X" across the piece and WAH-LAH! Instant pinwheel parts!
Another one is linked here in our banner on "Playing with Boston Blocks" and shows how to create the triangle pieces without actually cutting out triangles.

My question is: Do quilt books tend to incorporate these shortcut techniques, or do they instruct what *I* would call "traditional" ways of piecing?

I'm also reminded of a thread where one gal was feeling like her guild members were "offish" to her as a young newcomer, and I wondered if it was because, perhaps, there is a generation gap in the quilting arena where more mature quilters have learned these traditional piecing methods, and newer quilters are perhaps all taught the "shortcuts," which the more mature quilters might "pooh-pooh" as not "real" quilting?

Is there any logic or truth in what I'm trying to say here?