SOPs
FMGC
Airbus typically changes it SOPs constantly.
1990s SOPs where nowhere near 99,99% of the best course of action. They have changed so much!
SOPs are certainly not a substitute for good pilot judgement and a great deal of common sense is, imho, assumed from the pilot when they write the SOPs. Otherwise they would be many more pages long. SOPs are much more flexible that many pilots think.
Of course it is not food when pilots just ignore SOPs constantly for no valid reason. But there are LOTS of valid reasons to deviate every day from SOPs, if only because they are not always well written.
They are also misinterpreted easily, even by SOP talibans.
SOPs are reasonably flexible, and some items are very arbitrary, chosen the way they have just for standardization reasons.
SOPs do not come from God. Don't treat them as if they did. Adhere to SOPs as a rule. Do not hesitate, however, to deviate from them whe the situation calls for it. Keep your buddy in the loop, maintain team situational awareness and stay away from "the amber".