Hi Char...I understand where you are coming from but with a lot of our lampworkers they make beads for sale and sell a lot and love using the molds/presses and have no desire to learn how to do "all the shapes" by hand. Although a lot of them can.
So when you stated that a "lampworker must be able to create all the shapes by hand using only gravity and a marver" I couldn't disagree more.
The basics are good enough for most beginners and not so difficult that they lose interest or think it is all BEYOND their capabilities.
A lot of us are "serious" about making beads and have never learned the way you are suggesting. If I had to learn the way you are suggesting all of the fun would have been removed for me.
I personally will never do all of the shapes by hand and truly enjoy bead presses and tools. I do not consider them a "short cut". Just like I do not consider my electric sewing machine to be a short cut.. or my electric hair rollers or my microwave to be shortcuts.
If I need to learn how to make a certain shape without a bead press I have that option, but I am so very thankful to the inventors and makers of our favorite bead presses and tools because I LUV LUV LUV THEM. and the ease of use and the ease of creation with them and the extra time they give me to play with glass.
I guess lampworking has moved forward into the 21st century.
Hugs
Lorraine