Tazzymtb - but I am a girl! Do I have to scream like a boy instead?
Getting excited now, as the post should be here soon with my new shoes. I have a horrid .ppt presentation to get ready today, so falling off unceremoniously later will be my reward. Will head to the local playing field 
I can't be clattering down a rocky trail flat out without my feet firmly attached, for me it's not about increasing pedalling power more about being well attached to the bike and able to use my feet to help things along when cornering etc.
If you get the set up right you wont have problems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLSxmaQeEIM
Getting the right level of twist is so important and most people don't do it, it's essential AFAIC. Not only will it save your knees it will also mean that you'll unclip so much more quickly and rarely if ever accidentally unclip.
One persons opinion:
http://www.rivbike.com/article/clothing/the_shoes_ruse
Yes - I have never had any falls from stopping and not getting foot out.
Have had a couple of embarrassing ones from starting a descent and not being able to get foot IN. Looking down, going all offline and off balance, trying to bail etc etc - but if you are used to riding flats the old flappy feet might not bother you !
One thing i never get is the idea of clipping out to get through a technical section, this really decreases your chances of getting through it successfully. Stay confident, head up and stay clipped in, you will get through difficult sections with much greater control of the bike and less chance of comming of the pedal/ dabing/sitting on the crossbar/ raming your crotch into the stem/ etc
(disclaimer: requires MTFU bravery)
When I bought my first set of spuds, the guy in the bike shop was smirking to himself.
I said "I'm going to fall off aren't I?"
He said "Yes you are. Don't worry about it. Think of it as a right of passage"
Sound advice
Sure enough, second time out I had a dog run out in front of me. Slammed the brakes on, stopped dead, keeled over sideways. You learn pretty quick. And I can't stand riding on flats now.
Have fun 
I'm with Titusrider on this one - taking a foot out on a technical section spells disaster for me - what is the rationale anyway ?? Don't really understand how it could possibly help. If you crash you unclip anyway and the very act of having your leg all dangly decreases control as Titusrider says and increases chance of crashing.
Observed some youngsters coming down Spooky Woods at Glentress t'other day (we were cutting in from Shallow Grave) and a few went past with the foot out on the berm, some of them to absolutely no reason or effect, other than "I have seen my mates do this on corners and it looks kind of cool so I had better do it".
All very odd but perhaps I am just old.
Well the shoes arrived and both pairs were too small ... they looked great shoes (very stiff), but they definitely come small, at least one - possibly two - sizes smaller than I would have expected. In any case, I returned them, and in a fit of impatience/impulsivity went to my LBS, emerging shortly afterwards with a pair of Shimano WM41s.
Everything was very easy to set up and I spent a while propped up in the kitchen practising clipping in and out on the slackest setting. I then took the dog to the local hilly playing field and spent half and hour riding about and clipping/unclipping.
It all went really well - I haven't fallen off yet and so far have found the clip-in and release pretty straightforward. Maybe it's good luck (and an easy environment), but I'm sure all the advice I've read over the last 24h will have helped too. I like the feeling of security when pedalling - this made me realise how much less secure my feet feel on flat pedals. It's too early to know how I will get on with them longer-term, but it's a promising and optimistic start. I'm hoping to try an easy trail tomorrow afternoon which will be more of a test, but I'm really looking forward to it.
Thanks again for all the advice 
You'll love them, 20% extra output with no extra effort, use them on mtb & road bike, fabulous!
Source please?
I friend of mine was testing his new time atac pedals in some kind of garage. Not sure of the circumstances but he ended up falling into the "ditch" where you do work under the car. He broke his skull quite badly in a few places. He was lucky to survive apparently. Anyway I've used shimano for years and just started using time atacs with no problems
Nothing like a good story to boost the confidence 
I was actually amazed at how straightforward the release is on the slack setting. Maybe it's having used cages as a youngster for years on road bikes - couldn't afford clipless at the time - but the heel twist (so far - don't want to tempt fate too much) doesn't seem too much of a faff.
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