Well a lot of my saws do not have brakes and the ones that do I do not use. The brake is there to help with kickback. If you feel comfortable using a chain brake then by all means do so. As far as idling a saw if it is going to be sitting for longer than a minute I shut it down. If my saws do not start right back up then I will work on it so it does. Usually just a carb adjustment. I run my saws in all kinds of environment's from hot to cold and 8000ft. to 5000ft. So adjustment of the carb is something that I am used to.
There was a man from Belfast Who's testicles were made out of brass (can i say that word on here?) When he clinked them together They made stormy weather and lightning shot out of his @$$ Learned that in Catholic school!