Dozy;
My experience is one of thousands as are my impressions of the process and the airplane.
I remember the move to 2-pilot wide-body aircraft - our B767's had a third seat but by the time I trained on the airplane everything was up front. I loved the FMC technology...we were experimenting with early versions on our B727s. I trained on every transport we had except the B747 and no course was focussed so strongly on the automation as the A320 one was. There was perhaps an approach or two on raw data/no FDs and a few with all ELACs/SECs gone, (differential thrust & trim used to land the airplane, er, simulator) but aside from that, the entire simulator course was on the autopilot and I did the licensing ride and the command ride entirely on the autopilot. I know very well that others would have been different.
Regarding other manufacturers, it wasn't so much the visits but the diffidence with which our entreaties were handled, at least in 1992. It changed massively after 1999 or so, and so did their publications which I think are among the best in the transport world in terms of sharing information, flight safety and support for users. In fairness I have to acknowledge that the floor tours I've had of the Boeing plant at Everett were second to none in terms of openess from the senior pilots taking us around, (just as the first three B787s were rolling off the assembly line, bound for ANA).
It's tremendously complex and I respect others' views that inevitably will be different than mine regarding this whole introduction to automation - which, I have said, I love and used on all types with great enthusiasm as I did the control column or sidestick and non-moving thrust levers!...one can't really categorize it so much as recall impressions and experiences. It's like trying to perceive the British Museum in the dark using only a small flashlight as one's guide!