That's why I appreciate starting strength. It's a novice program and the gains come fairly quickly and easily. Rippetoe himself in Practical Programming makes the point that after the novice phase, you need to assess what your goals are and program accordingly. A football player will have different goals from a runner, who will have different goals from the general sedentary public.

I myself am pretty happy with where I'm at and don't plan on trying to squat 300KG. I appreciate there's a higher risk of injury pushing myself to my limits. And the amount of investment (time in the gym, getting a coach or learning enough to program for that level) is not worth it.

But for anyone who isn't strong and is looking to get strong quickly, starting strength is the best bet.