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Archive the M2 method

abunickabhi

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In BLD many methods have existed in the past which are no longer used. 3OP, freestyle, BH, DF/UBL 3-style are some methods that no one today in their right mind would pursue as these methods have some major shortcomings which make it a tangent in the learning process.

M2 has been a successful method for decades. Nowadays M2/OP is the most popular beginners method.

But the major shortcoming of this method is that it uses DF buffer which makes it harder to transition to UF 3-style and full floating because there is an unlearning component and "time to get used to new buffer" component.

I know it is controversial to stop using M2 as a beginner's method in 2025 when it is quite successful in the community, but I feel we should think practically and move to better beginner's method which makes transition to advanced blindsolving more seamless.

My two cents is for a beginner in 2025 to start with Orozco edges and corners and then transition to 3-style. If they find Orozco too hard, they can move a step back and try BOP method which is OP/OP from the UF/UFR buffer.
 
I think this is bad idea.

If someone is serious enough about BLD then changing the buffer is not going to be an issue. My out of the hat estimation is that for each person learning 3BLD probably less than 1% will eventually want to learn 3-style.

M2 is simple enough that it's good enough as a first method instead of OP.

My personal history:
- learnt op/op
- immediately switched to M2
- after a year or so decided to learn 3-style
- switched to 3style for both corners and edges
- haven't learned it fully before quitting seriously cubing
- couple years later decided that 3bld is a nice skill to have again
- remembered enough corner 3style to keep it
- didn't remember enough about edges and came back to M2

M2 is great and arguably more pleasant than orozco for edges, though i use orozco for corners if i can't figure out the right comm quickly. Let it be.
 
Orozco edges with BU helper is quite similar to M2. I like Orozco better because there are fewer special cases, although having to do first letter of a pair differently to the second letter can be confusing. It's also better for solving other puzzles blindfolded. You could even think of M2 as a specific case of Orozco---imagine fixing the centers before every letter. That turns all the normal M2 algs into commutators, with the Orozco-style alternation of whether you do the interchange first or second.

So I would prefer Orozco to be the standard for edges, but I'm not too fussed because a variant of it already is, and switching to the more 3-style friendly version with UF buffer and BU helper is not a big change for the blindsolver.
 
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M2/OP is in my opinion the easiest method to get into blind that will give decent results, and will be sufficient for 90% of people who attempt blind. I would also say that most that do blind would never transition to 3 style, so you're looking at it from a purist's point of view which most people are not. So to say that it should be archived or discarded is quite short sighted and arrogant.
 
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