>And Johnny can't add or spell because he uses a calculator and a spelling checker ...
>

Sorry, I think that's just a dumb argument. A framework gives a developer a lot of good code they can use, and maybe more importantly, a consistent development pattern that they can follow. Without a spell checker or a calculator, how can someone ever be sure they're spelling something correctly, or that the answer to some math calculation is correct? Trial and error? While you might eventually get there (assuming you don't give up), it's far from the most effective way of learning. I think learning by example is a better way to go. Even if you eventually decide that the examples provided >aren't< the right way to do things.

All I can say is that it's worked very well for me.