I can't debate anyone's preferences, but my point is there are trade-offs even when playing the game as is...
But even if they're doing some resource management and focusing on the exploration pillar without going all the way to B/X or whatever, as written the game has meaningful trade-offs for players to consider in this area.
Right. And I'm saying those trade-offs are not equivalent to each other. Especially if you tell them you're not going to handwave exploration, weight carried, light sources, etc.
A different damage type
vs
Never worrying about light sources and all the problems that go with those light sources.
Those things are not equivalent. That's not a meaningful choice. It is technically a trade-off, yes. But it's like asking someone if they want $1 or $10,000. Yes, it's technically a question, and technically they could opt for $1, but they're not going to. So pretending that's really a serious head-scratcher of a choice to spend time deeply considering is silly.
As well, it's trivially easy to make the game more focused on resource management if one wants to.
It's not that easy. A few pages of house rules to do so. Ban a dozen spells. Ban a half-dozen magic items. House rule rangers. House rule outlander. I've tried. It's more trouble than it's worth. Easier to just play a game designed to do it from the start. Like an TSR edition of D&D or a retro-clone.
Not everyone is down for heavy resource management though and so it's not what their games are focused on.
Of course. To each their own. But a fair amount of people like that style.
As well, a simple hooded lantern is better than light in terms of radius with a bullseye lantern being even better than that (albeit directional). The upside of light is reducing encumbrance and concerns you might run out of torches or oil, plus it won't go out in heavy wind or rain. And you can also cast it on an object and throw it without risk of it going out like a torch could do (in, say, wet conditions). Even so I've yet to see a party completely go without torches and lanterns though, even with someone having light.
Cost. Limited use. Carried separately in one hand. Weight carried. Chance of it being blown out. Dropped. Oil spilling. Flasks breaking. Oil igniting. Light source can ignite other things, intentionally or accidentally.
vs
No cost. Infinite use. No carried separately (cast on staff, etc). No weight. No chance of being blown out. No chance of being dropped. No oil to spill. No flask to break. No fuel to burn accidentally. Light source cannot ignite other things.
If you're tracking light sources, there's no contest. None.
I've had players assume that every dungeon will simply be lit permanently with infinite ever-burning torches. They legit assumed that every dungeon would just have torches in sconces at all times, in every room and every corridor. When I told them that wasn't the case, the players groaned, and the characters went back to town to load up on light sources. You know, despite me telling them upfront they'd need to bring their own light.
There's no guarantee that light caster will even be alive the whole dungeon delve!
Have you seen the death & dying rules? Yeah, it's basically guaranteed that everyone lives. Unless the referee goes out of their way to kill off PCs or the players make a long series of really bad mistakes.