[X4U] Installing OS X: upgrade vs "nuke and pave?"

[catsoul]

For the past 10 years or so, I've been under the impression that the *best* (if not easiest) way to upgrade OS X, or to re-install it was the "nuke and pave" method, or reformat the hard drive, and install OS X fresh, then pull in your data.

I've learned from one other person that that is NOT the best way to ensure good results, and is more time consuming that simply allowing OS X to upgrade itself through the apple store.

what do folks here think of the relative merits of these two methods?

Nuke and Pave?   or,  upgrade from one OS X version to the next?