Man, I used to be the guy who thought a password on the sign meant it was safe... now I'm honestly paranoid about even checking my email on those things. That story about the bank app is exactly the kind of wake-up call I needed to stop fooling myself.

The damp towel trick is basically the old school way and it WORKS because it breathes. Plastic traps everything and then you get condensation dripping back down onto the dough, which ruins your crust before it even starts. With a towel, the moisture evaporates slow and even, so the surface stays tacky without getting wet spots. I switched a year ago and never looked back. Only thing is you gotta make sure the towel is damp but not soaked, wring it out real good or you'll end up with soggy bottoms. And wash those towels every single time, trust me, stale dough smell gets in there fast. Total game changer for the oven spring too, that crackle you mentioned is the real deal.