<blood boils> =)
Sure, efi is better if tuned for your application specifically. The reason EFI runs so nicely is that it is tuned to your application from the factory by engineers. Tuning for aftermarket parts takes deeper pockets, much deeper pockets. Take a look at all the what throttle body, what maf, what injectors, what fuel pressure yadda yadda threads out there right now. You cant really change things without replacing things or getting a mondo expensive programmable unit or having someone burn a chip. I've been out of the fuelie scene for 3 years now but last I looked, most parts were in the $150-$350 range each.
Now carb...it's an inital 300-500 dollar investment then you play with screws basically. Your whole entire fuel system is in one place in a small box and everything can be adjusted mechanically. Nothing more expensive than $5 for a carb. Jets $3, Cams $5, idle change:free. Dont like what it's doing, turn some screws. Got bigger heads, screw some bigger jets in for the added flow. Change a little plastic pump cam for more fuel shot when stabbing throttle off the line. What I love about it is the time. I can instantly change whatever setting I want. I dont need to order and wait for parts. I can tune stuff realtime. Here's the real kicker.....the factory setup from holley works great for most people. Just set floats once and tune the idle screws and you're good to go. If you wanna "cheat", you can tap into your stock O2 sensor with an AF guage and use that to help you tune. Thats what I do.
I passed emissions twice with the sniffer in MA (bad as CA) with my carb. My car got 25 mpg highway with 3.73's. Idles smooth as glass. The key is to choose a small 600 cfm carb. NO BIGGER! I went 670 -> 600 cfm and the difference is astounding. So much crisper. Starts right up ice cold in freezing new england winters. That is with no choke!
Here's the basic argument then:
1. Efi = precision through automation and exact measurement but expensive. When something changes, you end up buying stuff to support the change
2. Carb = you set it up (once) cheaply then you can set it up again when stuff changes. Dont like what it's doing, change it.
Carb is slightly less efficient to the tune of 1 mpg and then 5-10 hp...but you gain that power back from the improved intake you're gonna buy during the conversion and have a small net gain.