Top effort from Damian for the translations, and indeed for starting this whole discussion! Also thanks to Pete for his very good drop test video -- and I really like the analogy of slot machine lemons.
Glenn said:
I always rig Y hangs with a figure of 8 with the knot at the Y, so there is only one loop. In that way, you can get your hand jammer quite high when getting off the pitch.
A figure-eight isn't really supposed to be loaded in that direction; an alpine butterfly is preferable.
That configuration can be really good, and I like using it -- but it depends on the pitch. The main downside is that you
must use an ascender on that section of rope; you cannot safely use a cowstail, because there is only one anchor between your cowstail and the drop.
If the next anchor is within reach, no problem -- clip a cowstail into it. If not, then it's particularly annoying on descent, since you must get out your ascender to progress safely. In practice few people will bother, and therefore the rigging is exposing them to unnecessary danger.
A Y-knot does not have this problem, since the traverse line goes directly to the Y-knot, meaning there are two anchors protecting the caver and cowstails are safe for approaching the pitch head.
Another situation where Y-knots are much better: the pitch anchors are installed high. Only a Y-knot will keep the traverse line at a good height and allow an easy (and safer) approach to the pitch.