Anne was talking about the uses of different needles, and the unsettling tendency for some writers to say, basically, "if you don't use the kind I use, you are a big poopy head, nanny nanny boo boo".

I find I use all three kinds. I use straight needles for small, flat-knit pieces like dishcloths and some scarves and the various "bits" that go into making the little Kath Dalmeny toys. (I *still* say toy patterns should be written to knit in the round...). When I am knitting sweaters, or other large, heavy items, even if they are knit flat, I prefer circulars, because they keep the weight off my upper arm, and they don't "bunch" the stitches (for some reason that annoys me). I also like circulars when I am doing sleeves, where both sleeves have identical shaping, because I can do both at once. And I love double-pointed needles for socks, mittens, circular-knit hats - any small item that is knit in the round.

I never got into the "two circulars for socks" craze, just as I never got into the toe-up socks. I would much rather kitchener than bind-off 48 or 64 or however many stitches the sock was*. And the single circular method worries me a bit - you put such a severe kink into the cord of the needle that it seems the joins would wear out faster. I know, they haven't stopped making circular needles and probably won't, but when I spend $10 or $12 for a good circular, I want it to last as long as possible.

I like my double points, anyway. And I can knit pretty fast on them, and I don't get "ladders" at the start of each needle.

* I will say there are some good applications of the toe-up method - traditional Turkish socks, for example, would have to use it to be "traditional", and there are some stitch patterns - lace, especially - that don't look good 'upside down' and don't lend themselves to being "flipped" (I tried to do that with one, I think it was called Waterfalls - rewrite it so the last row was first row was the last and so on, but I couldn't get it to come out.) I just don't think every sock pattern needs to be done that way.

I guess I side with Anne - why knock people down for what is basically an aesthetic choice? It's not like the sweater is going to be any less lovely if it's knitted on the "wrong" needles - it's a lot like the continental vs. American/British vs. Scots methods - they all work, they all produce nice things, they all have advantages.

I also like my different needles because it's good to have a variety of tools for different jobs. As a single woman owning her own home, I know how pressing needlenose pliers to do the job of a wrench really doesn't work, or using the butt end of a screwdriver when you can't find your hammer usually means a bent nail and a broken screwdriver handle...