Excellent points, but some of us (I won't name names) began climbing before modern climbing ropes were in vogue.
I remember climbing on, what as it called, "Gold Line"? Something like that. Better used for rappelling or top roping. If you were foolish enough to lead climb on it, and fell, with it's 15-20% stretch you'd hit bottom and then get flung the rest of the way of the rock you were trying to climb!
My first rope was a 120 ft Goldline, the soft hand version that you could lead with using clean pro. The hard finished versions were only good for pitons as the kinks and coils of the stiffer rope would pull your chocks right out of their placements.
The stretch was pretty bad, but the whole point was not to fall anyway (unlike sport climbing where the gear is more tried and trusted.)
I also remember Greenline (vets probably used this), SKYline (not blue line like if first said) (solid pale blue or white with blue tracers), as other inexpensive laid climbing ropes.
My father in law still has his white laid rope, soft pitons, and steel carabiners shaped like a B from the 50's. They reside on his wall.
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