@Ben Sturmfels I rather like ido-mode, though I do hit those moments every now and then where I feel like I'm fighting it, but I still feel like the net gain is positive?

Nonetheless, there are some neat helm-based file/buffer completion prompts you might like trying out if you'd prefer a "vertical" completion system that's a bit less hyper about trying to finish what you want. (I've never quite swung into a helm routine myself though.)