Ghost ball is a simple estimation trick. It doesn't yield THE shot. Rather something close - mMMaybe. CTE is a college course of estimation tricks.
Contact systems provide shot alignment as well as cue placement. I can't think of anything as accurate that's simpler than that; no Goldberg there. And don't forget the KISS rule...
The problem with shot alignment by way of contact points or fractions is you're trying to exactly link two minute parts on both the OB and CB which are located and viewed at the fat areas of both balls with about 2mm between each contact point or fraction. A visual mistake on either ball or both results in a missed shot. It's like trying to thread a needle which can be difficult to do. It has to be exact. Actually, threading a needle is easier than successfully linking up an equal and opposite contact point or fraction on two different balls especially with more distance involved between them.
I think the one advantage to CTE is it generates a continuous supply of marketable facts. It may even lend an intellectual aspect to pool education. Still, champions as well as the common man, dog it. Do CTE pros just want to automate the going off process?
A lot of members here on the forum preach PSR, PSR, PSR. But nobody really explains what their PSR is or how to get there.
Some don't use the same PSR at all or have one. Each shot is a new shot with no uniformity and exactness from one to another. But when they do, it starts out with getting a general picture of the pocket, OB, CB and guess at the angle created from the three. Some even have a mini computer telling them its 47 degrees, 64 degrees, 23.5 degrees or whatever. Then the official PSR begins with feet, body alignment, head, distance from CB, etc.
Or it might be body alignment, then feet, head, etc. Or it could just be fallen into with no discipline and no PSR. Basically what "comes natural".
At this point when down on the shot, the aiming process officially starts either with ball to ball contact points lining up - fractions lining up - the tip and the shaft of the cue pointed at something specific - and then a lot of fidgeting and head/eye adjustments to get homed into what looks right by feel or what just now looks correct. The feet and body usually get adjusted again while the scanning is going on.
The big difference with CTE is the aiming and alignment process is very focused as the FIRST part of the process and you're only looking at three parts of the OB - A, B, C and the edge of the CB while standing to line up the shot. Once your body is positioned based on the visual perception you just drop down into the stance with the feet the rest of the torso and head. There's no scanning back and forth and no adjustments. As has always been said, "THE EYES LEAD AND THE BODY FOLLOWS." This is the PSR for CTE. The exact opposite steps for other PSR and aiming sequences.
CTE is a natural visual process that results in one’s head/eyes being positioned in the perfect place in space for seeing the shot line. It’s a precision see and align process. The process takes care of any PSR routine. CTE is the PSR routine.