Well, I have gone through a bookshop to get a look on this book. I'm a bit disappointed.

It targets so much the main lines that there are too much neglected "secondary" options.

For example, in the Advance Variation, after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. a3 Nh6 7. b4 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nf5 9. Bb2 Bd7, he simply don't even mention 10. Be2.

So it's only beneficial to discuss moves that
1. you have met in practice;
2. are in your books.
Sounds a bit egocentric.
Fyi, with almost 600 games in my database 4.Bf4 is more regular than some other subjects of this forum.

PS: I apologize for misunderstanding (see next post).

dom wrote on 05/23/10 at 17:45:57:

Fact is that the drawing rate after 4.Bf4 is quite high. Indeed I already had noticed the attempt to disbalance the game with 4...Nc6, but haven't researched it yet.
To make things clear: only when I was convinced that the Exchange was not that drawish at all I decided to give the French a try. Imo Black easily can create a few imbalances by not copying White's play. Castling to the other side is one and an important example.

My own experience with the French echoes Dom's.  I have relatively very few draws as Black in the French compared to the rest of my repertoire.  When a U2000 player doesn't play the main line as white, s/he loses.

When a master (+2200) plays the Exchange, I have to fight tooth and claw for equality.  I'm much more happy when they play a main line. (I don't consider the Exchange Variation a main line!) I prefer 3...Nf6 in the Tarrasch, but I also play the Classical French as Black.   

I imagine that if I played the Winawer, I'd consider playing 3...c5 or even 3...a6 against the Tarrasch.  For me, it's more of a matter of consonance than objectivity.  I tend to believe that the French Tarrasch gives Black a playable game in at least three variations. I don't know if I fully trust 3...a6 for correspondence, but it seems good enough for tnmt play.

MNb wrote on 05/23/10 at 13:17:06:

A strong technical player as Black could calculate that he will win those dry positions often enough that it's worth it. But it's also a question of style; I prefer more strategically complicated middlegames if I can get them, and endgames are not my strongest point - yet 
MNb wrote on 05/23/10 at 13:17:06:

Often enough that I've never had the French as my only defence. For me it's been more of a surprise weapon for games where a draw is OK (though I'm planning to take it more seriously in the next few years), so I'm much more likely to play it against stronger opponents. Besides, I play a fair bit of my chess in small weekend tournaments where I'm one of the highest rated players, so it's important to be able to win with both colors.
MNb wrote on 05/23/10 at 13:17:06:

Sure. Naturally I don't choose any of those to complement the French. Instead I've tried Pirc/Modern systems and various Sicilians with 2...e6 (which avoids the most drawish Antis). Both groups of openings are good bets for maintaining strategic imbalance and winning chances, without being obviously bad.

The argument against all this is obviously Gurevich-Short interzonal tournament - Short need to win as Black to qualify, Gurevich only needed to draw - Short played the French, Gurevich the exchange variation, and the rest is history.

MNb wrote on 05/23/10 at 10:57:05:

That's because mostly lower-rated White players choose the Exchange in the first place (But note that 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bf4 was Eric Prié's drawing weapon when he was a 1.e4 player. Normally sharp Frenchies like Kindermann, Kosten and Moskalenko duly accepted the early draws! When Prié wanted to win he played 3.e5 instead, with great results). 

So Black can either argue that only patzers will play the exchange and they will beat them anyway so it's consistent with playing sharply/for a win, or (as I do) acknowledge the basic solidity of the French and keep a safe and sound repertoire as a foundation, with license to go crazy and deviate with something sharp when I feel like it. 

And honestly if I'm desperate to win and my opponent is happy to draw, I choose another defence.

Probably depends which one Adams/Karpov/.... played most recently