Now that you mention it I suspect this may be a big reason some people have had different experiences.

I also started with long straight skis and they are a lot less forgiving than the carving skis that followed. Nowadays I see a lot more freestyle skis which are again a different thing, but I don't have much experience with those. So maybe that's where people are coming from.

I'll admit the discussion has gotten a lot better by now, I guess I was just too early.