Some very interesting contributions here... thanks to all....
I had an interesting cockpit discussion one day after calling positive rate (in a Dornier 328 that climbs like a little rocket) based on simple observation of the fact that Planet Earth was visibly shrinking in size on a day that was CAVOK.
The PF, ex-Eastern Airlines, got very upset that I had not waited until the VSI had stabilised on some value or other.
In self-defense I stated that if visual cues were not clearly present then, yes, of course I would have been on the instruments rather than looking out the big windows for vultures, herds of wildebeest or whatever else might be there to be seen.
It was an interesting exploration of two very opposite sets of values, although we were both, perhaps, trying to achieve safety.