The author’s mistake is thinking about the ”smart” lights in terms of systems, and the “midwit” lights in terms of products. If you look at smart lights starting with products, ignoring the connectivity and asking questions like will this pair well with my light fixtures and is it capable of the color changing or other tricks I want, then look into the best system to control those products, you won’t get caught in analysis paralysis so easily.
This advice probably doesn’t apply as much to people who want smart-everything since that can get very complicated, but if it’s mainly about lights then you’ll find compatible options for any of the major protocols.