I think it's an added tool that digital supplies. The logistics with film(when I was shooting 35 for fun) made that impossible. The cost, the time lag, the storage. Now, all you need is hard drive space, the files are "free". I'll shoot several of the same thing from different angles, different times for light, all kinds of variations. And that gives me comparables. The files keep the time of day and other info to compare. I believe these qualities allow you to learn more quickly digitally than you could with film.

Taking a few hundred doesn't bother me because I'm finding when I do get a good shot, it often means I've shot a good group of photos. Maybe a dozen that can be manipulated and used in different ways.