I've been using vim for about 3 years and am starting to write [my first
plugin](https://github.com/Matt-A-Bennett/surround-funk.vim). I've noticed when
looking at the code of other popular plugins that the functions very rarely
seem to achieve their aim with lines like:

```vim
execute "normal! <some commands>"
```

Instead opting to use Vim's built in functions. Given the power of Vim's
normal mode commands to do so much, what is the general reason for not
employing them more often when writing plugins? For example is there a good
reason to prefer code (A) or (B) (given that they achieve the same result):

Code (A):
```vim
let l = line(".")
let c = col(".")

call search('mysearch')
call setline(line("."), 'better')

call cursor(l, c)
```

Code (B):
```vim
normal! mx

execute "normal! /mysearch/\<CR>"
normal! 0c$better

normal! `x
```

Code (A) seems a little more readable, and won't clobber the marks (and not the
search registers?). Is there a more important reason I'm missing?