Presets are foolish...

Question

Am I missing something or is Apple? In Lightroom and in Bridge, you can set image presets that span all types of image adjustments; white balance, levels, exposure, color, sharpening, etc. You can have one preset that saves all those settings. It appears that Apple forces you to save a preset for each type of adjustment?!
How is that useful, exactly?
If I can save a preset that saves all settings, then I can chose to only modify one thing (say white balance), or I can choose to modify all things. The way Apple has implemented it in Aperutre, you have to select all the presets you want for each setting.
That is useless. How could they screw something so simple up?

Answer 1

That's a non-time-saving band-aid solution to a problem that shouldn't even exist if presets were implemented properly.
Who cares if I rarely apply a preset to all the adjustments? Give me the option. I use this feature -ALL THE TIME- in Bridge or Lightroom, and it's the one thing that's prevented me from moving over to Aperture. I was excited to see they finally got the message when I saw that adjustment presets were going to be included in 1.5...
The presets should not be limited to any one thing. If I want a preset that simply lightens the photo--I should be able to have it. If I want a preset that over-sharpens, AND desaturates, AND, changes the white point, AND adjusts contrast, AND adds a vignette--I should be albe to have it.
The stamp tool still requires me to set the first image. In LR, I have a preset for a custom desaturation that I love. It adjust the contrast, the whtie point, the amount of saturation and the exposure. I use it all the time. I select an images I want, hit hte preset and BAM, they're all set. If I need to adjust each image slightly, I can. The functionality is the same in Bridge. Most pro photographers (and I'm one) I know use hundreds of presets to quickly achieve any style or look they want. I can't believe Apple implemented presets so poorly.
If a preset can span across all adjustment borders, it would serve the function they do now (e.g. only adjusting the color)--but it could also serve the wider functionality of being able to save several settings (e.g. adjusting color, adding a vignette, and changing white-point).
The way they've implemented it, you have to hand-crank each point to get the look you want. Inefficient.