I think that's a much more reasonable position to take than what you had been saying. It's incomplete, but it is much more reasonable.

That advice you just gave should really include some caveats. Four-strokes are different from two-strokes. Giving people the impression that they aren't is a mistake. If a person leans a two-stroke too much, it becomes pretty obvious from the sound of the engine slowing. If a person leans a four-stroke too much, it becomes pretty obvious from the prop flying off... I made that particular mistake this fall myself, and I'm certainly experienced enough to know better. It's irresponsible not to make people aware of certain possibilities before they're in a situation where the possibility can come about.

Some four-strokes have very specific break-in instructions. My TT54 was pretty explicit about not exceeding 5,000rpm for the first few minutes of its life. Get close to it, but don't exceed it. Now, just between you and me, I'm not able to count blades passing by one side of the engine at 10,000 per minute. That's just one of the limitations I have have. Others may be in a similar situation, if not blessed with that particular ability. It's easy to say "close enough is ok," but some people just don't like that. There are more than a few Type As in our hobby.

I don't think of a tach as being much different than a starter. Nobody needs a starter. Yet most of us recommend them, don't we? We don't get up in arms about someone recommending them, either. Somehow this is different, for some reason.

Perhaps it's safety? Starters make the hobby safer. That's a good reason for using one. Well, it may not be a bad reason for using a tach, too. Ever worn hearing protection while starting an engine? I don't, but that's because I'm stupid. Having seen my father begin to lose his hearing, I'll see if I can remember to change that this season. Can you hear a pitch change of a four-stroke going from 9,700rpm down to 9,500rpm while wearing hearing protection? I don't know. How much does that dull the senses, and how far lean will you be by the time you notice? I can't say, but someone who can hear the difference and happens to have a tach might be able to tell us. I'd be interested in knowing.

It's one thing to encourage people to try a four-stroke, and another to perhaps lead them down a garden path. We're all adults here. Give people all of the information, and let them make informed choices for themselves. Words such as "nobody", "everyone", and "anyone" don't really encourage reasonable positions. And since when does a tach have to cost $30? Mine cost $20, and I'm sure they're still available for that. Let's not inflate numbers when we don't have to.

Most people here who are considering a four-stroke aren't completely new to the hobby. Most have probably seen and heard one, which might be why they're interested. If they pay attention at the field, they'll know whether they can hear a four-stroke peak by ear. Let them come to that themselves, rather than taking an extreme position simply because you see other people taking an extreme position. All people need is information.