Open v. sealed ferment

[GABrew]

All-

I've used the search function to see if I can find a discussion on this, but there were 28,000+ and 950+ pages on a search for "open ferment." I went through the first several

Is there any discussion / guidance / opinion on when and why you would want to choose one over the other? I have been using a 25 liter plastic fermenter that came with a beer brewing kit someone bought me many years ago. it has a lid with some clips, but it's not sealed by any means, and there's no bubbler or airlock. It's currently fermenting my 3rd generation of ujssm, and that's all I've fermented in it. They all seem fine.

I read where lots of folks are sealing up their ferment containers and checking their bubbler and all that. I just take a quick peak (and listen) to see if my ferment is still active... and even with that, I generally let it sit for a couple days after the activity dies down and things clear up a bit. Then I rack directly to my boiler through a fine stainless sieve just to make sure I don't accidentally transfer any meaningful solids.

Anyhoo. I guess my question is as above .. is there any guidance or opinion on why you would want an open v. sealed ferment?

Thanks,
GABrew