Not that this hasn't generated good talking points, but I was there at the workshop the OP mentioned and Fred's remark was very much said in passing to a small

Not that this hasn't generated good talking points, but I was there at the workshop the OP mentioned and Fred's remark was very much said in passing to a small group of people during a break and he didn't seem to be making an intentionally negative remark. He certainly wasn't stating it as instructional fact.