Style and pickin' technique
Well, there seems to be a lot to cover and I don't remember who all said what, but... As far as picking goes, that depends on the music you are playing, as well as which guitar you are playing. I think most classical guitar players prefer finger picking. A lot of blues players mix up both how they pick and their instrument of choice. Some play with picks, and some don't. The heavier the guage of string, I would imagine the more use picks. Some folks play electric, some hollow-body, some acoustic/electric, and some straight up acoustic. Some slide on electric, some on acoustic, some on steel guitars. Picking is different on all those, depending on the style. It's really all about style and then some about technique, and some may say that's two sides of one coin, or the same side. Then there's attitude. Some say, I got a bad one, but I don't care.
Get your opinions, utilize all you can learn in your practice, and pick what fits you best. In the end your style is determined by you and the ability you wish to express. Keep playing though, as your life's ambition, keep playing!