> Why would it be necessary to USE the skill to advance in it?
> Or if so, allow up to say 1/2 to be from USE, but only require
> 1/4 (just picking random fractions there).
No, fortunately most recent proposals have _allowed_ the USE of a
skill to advance. Proposals to require a skill use would be both
impractical (as many skills don't have active uses) and silly (as
STUDY should automatically mean taking the fastest course of action
which is going to bring you up to the next level - if you believe
that some skills should require practical training just imagine that
STUDY actually does some practical training without telling you).
As such the proposal isn't something I'd like awake at night hoping
for (as I do for all of _my_ proposals :-) ), but I think the system
would be better with it than without it as long as the percentage
gain from USE is moderate to minor (like eg. 1/4).
Carl Edman