this is good advice for everybody not just noobs. set timing at 0, get engine running good then adjust timing accordingly. other than maybe losing alittle power, theres really no ill affects of too little spark lead . on other hand, to much spark lead can cause all kinds of problems. i guess it just sounds cool to say you have boat loads of spark adv
measuring with oil was always easiest for me. its almost idiot proof as long as u can find tdc. i might do it a different way if i were better at math