How did nitrous get such a bad rep...?

The way I look at nitrous is it is the least expensive of the power adders. Just like any other area of the engine, when you use the cheapest available part (rockers, lifters, etc.) you will be ridiculed for being a cheapskate. I think nitrous kinda falls in this category. Like “Build a real motor and you won’t need NO2 you cheap bastard”. Always comes back to the money. My $.02.
Buy all the stuff to do it right and take the time to install it and report back to me how cheap it was and how easy it was...