To put the hard reset issue to rest, hopefully...everyone is welcome to follow whatever procedures work for them with regard to regular "day to day" flashing. It's your device.
However,
IF you experience lock ups on your device that force a hard reset [like, you go to soft reset and it hard resets], flash to the Stock ROM, hard reset, flash custom ROM, hard reset again. ...that WILL fix your problem.
If you haven't experienced this issue, there's no need to comment on whether or not you believe it will work. The only benefit to the community with regard to this advice is whether you were experiencing this issue, tried the aforementioned method, and it DIDN'T work to resolve your issue.
[how did this even become a topic?! sorry to keep it going in an attempt to end it...I should know better]
That said - new guide is up in my sig for the "afternoon" version of 8/11 - no real changes, I just linked in more cabs and listed a few more fixes and working mods. If you're new to Energy ROM, give it a brief read.