johnwolf, eric, picnic, francois & gvdavewh,
I think I am getting clearly what most all of you are saying, & it does help to hear the same message. However what I was getting at was perhaps there's manual which explains what Duplicating (et al or that includes all tasks) can offer the Photoshop user.
Well explained by all of you, I'll interpret as "The client's need creates the workflow, or the Why, if indeed a client is a part of the task. I find myself, perhaps naievly wishing there was only one way to skin a cat. Then it would all be rather simple to accomplish most things within PS. But that would dissolve so much creativity & thus variety.
I have been attempting work on a Gallery I like to call Alternatives & it's been a real slow effort, but even simple work is always a look at more than one tutorial & it can take me days to accomplish a mere gradient of just the upper half of an image, for example. I guess I am a slow learner at some of this. Then too is my ever-present poor memory.
How about a suggestion, then, on what could be, according to one's workflow preference, your favorite e-Book, or e-manual on say the Top 10 or Top whatever Professional Actions (for lack of a more appropriate PS term) that are used in PRO workflow environments? If e-choices don't come to mind, please also include a regular paper book, ughh!!!!
Maybe there's a discussion already online I could do a search for that has covered this within the confines of LL. I'll look once I've Posted this.
Many thanks to some terrific members here who have taken the time to offer help. Perhaps one day I can do the same.
Rich