I actually think that is a great example to support my point. Personally I prefer to shoot digital too. However it really helps to still understand how aperture and shutter speed work and how focal length and sensor (or film) size will affect your depth of field. While white balance is way easier to adjust on digital cameras, it is still good to know the concepts and understand how it works. And most photographers will agree that in the end shooting on "Auto" sucks.

Learning the basics and fundamentals first will make you a better photographer, no matter whether you choose to shoot digital or analoge in the end.