Too true mate, too true. Some growers just stick to the basics for years and years, and that's cool if that's their thing. But as you said, some of us have put more time than we can remember into research, experiments, asking question, etc. etc.
I know people who have been growing for 'longer' than me, but have actually done fewer grows -> fewer harvests, less research, fewer experiments, yet they still think they're the most shit hot growers around with the best strains and everything, won't take advice, I once offered them some seeds or clones and they refused. I didn't tell them I hav packs and packs of 'official strains' laying around and they could of had cuts of Kali Mist, White Russian, Super Lemon Haze, AK-47 ... They just assumed it was some 'crap' seeds I had from a hermie or something, I had to laugh at them under my breathe. They're going on about how great these skunk seeds they got are... Decided not to tell them I had a pack of Super Skunk seeds (which is what they used to grow and rave about - poor guys really).
Anyway, that's my rant