It has always changed from the start many years ago, 1000's. As technology quickens so does the craft. It would be your choice as to where in the technology you choose to place yourself. I myself am still developing my custom system, still a lot of hand tools with a mix of power. The power tool pull is strong. It help when you have a strict time frame and you have to either through men at it or power to finish in a unreasonable time.
I would encourage hand tools, if you can cut with them than the shift to power is just a $ issue, the skills needed for the power tools come with a shallow learning curve, on top of your developed hand tool skills.
On page 88, of Sobon's book, the center photo, shows an example of a scooped housing, that is difficult with a router and would require clean up with a slick anyway. In the latest issue of Timber Framing Paul Oatman alternative approach to a previous article. I don't think I would be far off in saying that the router in fig. 6 is slower than hand tools to gain the same end, in fact hand tools would most likely be more efficient with that example.
That is my view, I look forward to others. Tim
