In all my years, I don't think I've ever used the 'Exposure Compensation' feature on any camera. I think it goes back to when I first started shoot at 12 years old, using dad's B+H FD35 (Canon TX). I always lined up the lollipop with the line, and took the shot. At some point I started to understand that if the subject is backlit, or it's likely to over-expose, I needed to adjust the lollipop either above or below the line by some amount in hopes of getting a proper (or close) exposure.
Ever since, no matter what camera, I shoot manual, and make my adjustments directly to the SS or aperture. I have never used the EC control, possibly because I thought I would forget to reset it.
So, do you use your camera's EC control, or do you do like I do?