Good post, 7forlife.
My impression is that you find "alt-break" to not be a factor in a player winning or not.
If so, I completely agree.
To me, the break format has no bearing whatsoever on the outcome.
The break format affects both players equally so what's the problem, right?
If a player in a particular match happens to get ahead 5-1 in "alt-break" format,
that right there should speak volumes:
the player ahead had to win on the other player's break more than one time to begin with.
So what stops the losing player from doing the same thing so as catch up?
And so goes the same for "(the) winner-breaks." If the rules apply to both players, it's all relative, a wash.
I think this whining stems from the spectators' perspective.
Spectators like to see players run racks--I get it.