When I started marking the timbers with an awl I experienced a change in attitude about layout, I felt everything was more specific and had more focus and commitment with every stroke. I also felt I was acting in closer agreement with tradition since old frames in my area were marked with awls and cutting gauges. I liked the fact that striking lines left witness to the process of layout and over strikes and mistakes became "part of the story" in the words of Rudy Christian. I ink the marks only after checking, so nothing gets cut without ink and checking.
