Tell you what. after using Lightroom on a new OS for all of three days I would be slow to comment on it. But then I'm aware that things on other OSes and in other applications might not work the way I expect them to, and that does not mean that they are wrong, just a different approach. So, I would say that if you're running into trouble with a new app on a new OS after three days that there's a significant chance that you haven't grasped the application or the OS.
As for your opinions, yes you are entitled to opine that Faces is a feature of little use to you. To describe it as 'useless' fails to take account of other people's preferences. But when you say that a Managed Library is a marketing scheme to get people to Aperture you are simply talking though a pretty thin hat. You can migrate to Aperture with a Managed or Referenced Library. iPhoto's Managed Library predates Aperture by years and the option to run a referenced Library was introduced to iPhoto before Aperture was ever released. So, both in terms of history and the capabilities of both apps you're about as accurate as I would expect from someone who has used the OS and one of these apps for three days. In other words, clueless.
For the sake of others who might read this I'll clarify.
As far as I could explore: managed, copies the full picture into the library, after finishing( or during import event, don't remember it now) import, the tool suggests to delete the full picture from where you are importing.
iPhoto copies the file into the Library package, and offers to delete from the camera or phone. It doesn't suggest it, you can easily decline. I strongly suggest to people that they do, always have.
Actually it does so too with referenced option, witch seems even wronger, since you are not holding the raw picture anywhere if you do it, so might loose it right from the beginning...didn't even test it on either method anyway(I mean I didn't go with delete option).
No it doesn't. In fact, iPhoto cannot import a Referenced Structure. You need to get the images from your camera to your filing system yourself. Then add the images to iPhoto.
If you use both Managed and keep the files you are just duplicating all your full work, where for me it's not the point of a library, I just want to know what I have, organize it in a good enough faster view, and start from that point, for editing it's another subject, again in my humble opinion.
But why would you keep the files? You import to iPhoto. Confirm the import has gone correctly. Then reformat the card with your camera - which is actually faster. If you want to manage files use a file Manager. iPhoto is about managing Photos. Not the same thing.
This means most people that might be using iphoto, if in managed option, would tend to allow them selves to remove original picture. Saying this, by corrupting the library, all is gone since all original files were deleted from import.
Well actually no. in 99.9% of cases a corrupt iPhoto library means the database file is damaged and the photos are perfectly fine. As I keep saying to you - and perhaps, which you may not have grasped in your three days, is that the files are stored in the Finder. The self-same finder that you use. Just look inside the package. There they all are, in the Masters folder.
If there is a problem there are three approaches which guarantee 100% success in recovering data. Using either a rebuild with iPhoto's own tools, using iPhoto Library Manager's rebuild option or, ultimately the best protection against any data corruption, an up-to-date back up will solve any problem.
Or just the same tools you would use with a Referenced Library.
In your first post you said...
call me a noob
and I took you up on that offer as everything you wrote then - and today - is indicative of someone who is not familiar with the software and how it works.
For more on iPhoto and file management see this User Tip:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6361