There's been a bit of backlash against that, though - while it does set an upper bound on the negotiation, it also couches the range of the whole negotiation (i

There's been a bit of backlash against that, though - while it does set an upper bound on the negotiation, it also couches the range of the whole negotiation (i.e. the other side is unlikely to make a significantly lower counter-offer, since their perception of a reasonable counter-offer is based on the initial offer). Still, the typical advice is probably pretty solid for situations where you don't know where to start.