Forward foot on snowboard (does the 'rule of thumb' really apply?) & sole purpose of forward foot?

If you are right handed your left foot goes in the front. Vice versa for lefties. The front foot is responsible for carving. One of my old snowboard instructor buddies would ride down runs carving with only his front foot strapped in, and he would lift the other one. He really taught me the techniques of carving and how your front foot is responsible for carving.