In my opinion (remember, just my opinion) what many take issue with is is that Gary painted the entire population of TVWB as a bunch of "engineers" who are to focused on times, temperatures, charts etc. When in fact, I guarantee TVWB site has more beginners/non-engineers than Gary's site and part of his 5 lessons. Here are the figures:
5 Lesson Site
428 Total Members
413 Total Topics (entire site)
1327 Total posts (entire site)
TVWB
4,900 Total members (100 members per page * 49 pages)
1,398 Topics in New WSM owners alone
11,002 Post in New WSM owners alone
** note - keep in mind, I'm talking about website only where the majority of the comments aimed at TVWB and it's population were made
People learn in different ways, there's no right or wrong way. If you don't like Gary's approach (I'm in this camp) don't subscribe to it, however, it sounds like it works for some people, so great. The presentation of the info, I chalk that up to personality first and shtick second. Works for some, turns other off.
Lastly, I think what rubbed me the wrong way when I first read his 5 lessons site was he threw me in with a group of people who I'm not even close to, Engineers (nothing wrong with engineers read further); I don't have 1/4 the brain you engineers have (I'm a dumb software sales guy), I work with engineers and quite frankly it's an insult to you engineers for me to be included in the same breath as you. I found the information on this site very helpful based on how I learn and the presentation and the people won me over the first time I visited.