www.troublefreepool.com
True, there is a significant upfront expense. However, over the long term it's by far the cheapest way to chlorinate. More importantly, it's incredibly convenient and makes pool care so much easier. Even if a cell would cost 3x what it costs today, I'd still get one.
Many SWCG users operate 24/7 at slow speeds. I operate at 1,000 RPM 24/7 and it costs ~$5/month in electricity. I like the constant chlorination, skimming, circulation, and filtering. Even with California electric prices, it's not much.
Salt is easy to add and very cheap. A 40 pound bag of quality salt is ~$7. I can't stress enough the ease and convenience of a SWCG. I would never consider any other method of chlorination. I would suspect 99% of SWCG users here feel the same way.
What were his reasons? He gave you poor advice, intentional or not.