You are absolutely correct about the pullover, but I never said that free weight are always better. With Hammer Strength stabilization muscles are not worked like they are with dumbells, and being locked into a specific plane of motion is generally harder on the joints than a dumbell motion. The major benefits of H.S. is a reduced risk of injury over freeweights, and that the arms work independently of each other. H.S. is good equipment and an excellent addition to any gym, but it can't completely replace standard freeweights.
-You said that in your opinion that machines were "in most ways" inferior, which is pretty strong & fairly similar to "always". I offered a more balanced assessment.
-You've just made the common mistake i already pointed out, of assuming that stabilization muscles are the only factor and work against machines, when in fact the absence of the need for stabilizing muscles can be an advantage. If stabilizing muscles were so essential, no one would use barbells, only dumbbells.
I haven't seen anyone actually prove that stabilization muscles are essential for development, have you? The stabilization thing is usually over-emphasized as part of a marketing strategy, in much the same way HS mentions the strengths of it's equipment.
-The major benefits of HS are several, one of which is potentially more effective workouts and another is greater safety, not just one or the other.
-As far as completely replacing free weights, no one is suggesting this, i'm not sure why you brought that up. However, Sergio Oliva said that overall he thought machines were more effective, not equal.
-The pullover machine's but one example - i hope you're not assuming that it's the only one?
-Locked into a particular ROM doesn't necessarily hurt the joints, where did you get this? In fact, some use machines in lieu of free weights because it can be easier on the body - Arthur Jones makes a line now called Med-X, for rehab purposes. Yates switched to Smith squats because they were easier on the body, then found that they were also more effective. Case by case.
http://www.medxonline.com/