My preference is 'properly adjusted' indexed for the rear and and 'ratcheting' friction for the front. My wife has an old Specialized Crossroads w/twist grip set up this way. It's nice to be able to vary the the 'trim' up front when the chain rubs in certain gear combos. Velo Orange website has a stem mounted set-up that's way better than anything from years past.

Afa as the lbs snootiness goes, it's one of the reasons I learned to do all of my own repairs. Learned to build wheels after posting an ad on a local bike board. It's very gratifying to ride on a bike you've built up yourself completely, including the wheelset.

DT friction shifting is a great place to start learning how to do your own repairs, adjustments, etc. Before cartridge bottom brackets became standard one could take the bearings/spindle assembly apart, clean the cups and re-pack the bearings. That was another great learning experience.

I'm building up a '96 Softride Traveler and will have modern stem ratcheting friction shifting in addtion to top-notch hubs, spokes, rims, tubes, tires, etc. Indexed is nice, but when one is 50 miles from nowhere in a country where no one speaks your native language the lower tech the better.