Well... I'm not a representive of Paul in any way, and I haven't even built a controller yet (planning, and getting parts for an EV, long term) But I work with manufacturing electronic components, and a lot of them one-off or prototypes... So I know how to check stuff out before first use... And I'd say warnings in the wiki or not, the builder ie you are always responsible for doing that in a safe manner, especially considering the fact that pack voltage can really do some damage...
The controller can be purchased as built and tested... Or as a kit... If one chooses the kit, part of the choice means saving money, part of it means you get to take credit for all blowups regardless of the reason for them... That's part of learning... And it's fun...
It's common practice in ALL cases, not just this, is to test any electric car you build up with 12V... ie stick just one battery on the engine and controller and check that it's working... Sticking a full pack voltage on to test things seems like a recipe for having something break, regardless of who's to blame...
Having a fuse on your pack isn't just common knowledge and good practice... I agree it should probably be in the wiki, but NOT having one is borderline stupid, whatever controller you are using, homemade or not, it's your life in the balance if something goes wrong...