Re: Alfred/Quicksilver supposedly making OS X more keyboard friendly - The #1 use case for them is launching apps, and Spotlight (⌘-↵, Cmd-Return) searches apps, allowing you to launch them with Return.
Not saying that it's better; Alfred/Quicksilver still learn which apps you prefer to launch. It's just a vanilla alternative in case, like me, you prefer not to run nonessential background apps.