The day you flip to 12/12 is day one of flower. I don't know who started the whole '
count from the day you see flowers/pistols' deal but that is incorrect. Some plants are slower to show flowers than others but the only reason they've started to show flowers in the first place is because of their reaction to the light cycle. Popping out pistols doesn't happen overnight, it's process that starts within the plant weeks before the pistols come out. You can choose to count from whatever day you'd like as your plant will be done when it's done. But if one thinks day 1 of flower is the day you start to see pistols, then I've got a bunch of 45 day strains on my hands
.
In regards to flowering times being misrepresented by breeders, that's standard practice.
They do not just show sex due to light cycle, that is why some plants take longer to show sex even once you switch the lights. Plants show sex based strongly on their maturity levels. If you put a plant into 12/12 from seed it will usually still take multiple weeks before that plant starts to show sex. This is because it is not mature. I currently have about 8 plants that are vegging from seed, that have all began to show sex about 8 weeks after they broke ground, and have never been under 12/12. I just pulled 2 males that had produced fully grown balls under 18/6 veg lighting. Plants can be encouraged to show sex faster by changing the lights, however if they are not mature it will still take longer to start showing flowers then a mature plant. I am not saying that counting from sex is the only way, but I can't agree with you that it is wrong. Based off your agruement that flower doesn't start when the plant starts to flower, which in its self shows how silly your idea is, how would you suggest that outdoor growers determine when their plants start to flower. Exactly they start to flower when they start to flower go figure nature had it all worked out before people ever began switching light schedules.
I do feel that breeders commonly misrepresent the flowering times of their plants. I think it happens in both directions, some will say they flower faster then they do, but I also feel that some are judging their plants to take more time due to counting wrong.
You said you didn't know where the idea of counting form flower came from...on the contrary I don't know what would give someone the idea they should count from light switch. As I proved with out door plants, and nature in general, you don't say your tomatoes are flowering until they produce flowers, you wouldn't say that the daffodils are flowering until they start to produce flowers. Its all the same and only takes a little logic. If anything counting from the day you flower would give your plants that extra week or two that people are constintly telling people they need to wait when they ask if their buds are done. It doesn't make the plants flower any faster it just gives a more accurate counting point. I personally only will count by weeks too because once I get to my harvest window it will depend on the plants when they get pulled, not what day they are on.
To reiterate it comes down the plant maturity and genetics. You said it yourself "some plants are slower to show flowers then others", so why would you say they are flowering before they are?
Also ganja you are not crazy for growing an indoor landrace, the key for next time is less veg time because it will stretch to high heaven, and using more growing techniques, LST, super cropping and such to control the growth. I know you checked out my journal, did you look just at the newer stuff, or did you see the sativas I grew back in 09? They were 100% plants, they took longer to start flowering, and took longer to finish flowering, but they also yielded great and were some amazing smoke.