Apparently not all of you were around when teaching people how to shift a 10 speed was a common task in a bike shop.

It was a different time. Back then, most (American) cyclists were accustomed to coaster brakes and 3 speed hubs. The idea that you had to be pedaling to change gears was a little odd to many people. The Shimano FF catered to that market. It made those newfangled 10 speed things a little more comprehensible. Yeah, they were noisy.