I think that you have nailed it. After considering all of the recent posts
including yours, Tom's and mine, I would like to try to summarize the
disagreement:
The beginner will get positive feedback to the extent that he can quickly
fulfill his wishes and desires on the harmonica.
IF..he knows a bunch of songs that he can sing and whose melodies already
run in his head; and he wants to play them on a harmonica...THEN he should
start on a chromatic. For him, (and for me when I was a kid) the melody is
the most important thing.
IF he wants to "play harmonica" and make those pleasant, bluesy, wailing,
harmonious sounds that he associates with TV commercials or blues
performances...THEN he should start out on a diatonic. For him the
characteristic harmonica sound is the most important thing.
What do you think?