Mike - I know active topics is there, and thanks. My comment was more about the Forum being messed up, and for months now. (not the first time I've mentioned it and there are others who share the same problem) This squirrel in the attic has made the Forum far less navigable, and is the root of my comment.

Tim - Common rafters are not my norm, but I have done it both ways. From purely a layup and efficiency viewpoint, a roof system with a ridge is easier and requires less layups -

If you're scribing a frame without a ridge you must do multiple quick layups of the pairs at the ridge- If using a Five Sided Ridge you have the ridge taken care of in the same layup in which you scribe the commons to the Plate, avoiding the layup of all the pairs.

I have seen but two historical Five Sided Ridge / Common Rafter combinations north of the Mass line, and both were in border towns, though neither was in the border region of the Merrimack Vally where I came up.

Not being from a Common Rafter part of the world, I never considered if the advent of Square Rule led to a change in their use ? Interesting question.