Newbie with question about hammock

All the suspension options must be for people who don't like knots. I have tried them all and have returned to using smaller diameter rope for my Hennessey. This has worked for me for over 12 years.

Using straps helps to protect the tree from unnecessary damage.

That was one of my first thought, I've seen other people insert scrap barks and smaller twigs between the rope and the tree to prevent damage to the tree.

Personally I'm a fan of knots, I think I'm gonna give this a try.

The reason ropes are not used is that they do indeed dammage certain types of trees. As ropes are cylindrical, a very small portion of the diameter of the rope holds all the weight of you and your hammock. It also stretches, causing slippage which in turn removes bark. Certain species of trees are hurt worse by this than others. Straps work well as it increases the surface area of the stress that is put on the tree, holding your hammock in place better and not stripping the tree of needed bark (a tree trunk without bark will grow mold or bacteria that could be detrimental to the health of the tree).
Can you get away with using rope? Yes, you can. The question should be however (IMHO) SHOULD I get away with just using rope?

To me, keeping our natural treasures as pristine as we can is worth it. I also would hate to see a ban of hammock camping due to too much tree dammage… There are already a lot of parks that have banned the tying of ropes to trees ( be it for tarps or hammocks) for that exact reason.

Enjoy your hammock man… It's the best sleep you will ever get on the trail as long as you know how to make the hammock insulated in the cold… If you dont and it gets to about the sixties or lower in temperature, you will be miserably cold without a pad or an under quilt.

Yes of course you need straps/huggers to protect the bark. But rope is fine for the suspension itself.