[development] Creating fields: custom vs. CCK

[Sean Wingert]

I need to create a new content type with about 20 fields. Should I use CCK or a .install file?

The case for .install:
   "We'll first show you the programmatic solution by writing a module that uses Drupal hooks. This approach allows for a greater degree of control and flexibility when defining what the node can and can't do." -- Westgate and VanDyk, Pro Drupal Development (Google Books)

The case for CCK:
   The New York Observer -- http://drupal.org/node/141187
   CCK & Date/Link/Calendar/Imagefield/Imagecache. This site features a whopping 110 CCK fields. CCK has arrived, and helps us build sites quickly, and change them easily. -- Moshe Weitzman

I will create custom forms with custom validation to refer to these fields, preferably from a .module rather than a PHP filter. In that case, won't I need to refer to both programmatically (e.g. a #validate form element)?

Thanks!

Sean