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how should people start off or approach things?
People learn different ways. I learn by study, then attempting to implement. Others learn by rote, doing it over and over until they get it right (although everyone falls into this a little bit). Some people have to make every wrong choice before they can make the right choice.
I think a cheap DSLR coupled with a LOT of dedicated study is a fine way to learn. I prefer DSLRs in manual mode because you get more feedback, quickly. It will also teach you some bad habits, but the tradeoff is worth it. You can quickly see obvious issues at certain settings, and it will help you learn the effects of each control really fast. But nothing can substitute for the efficiency of actually hitting the books. You can spend a lifetime dicking with a camera, and still learn more in a year of book study + practice.