Where Do You Light Your Fire?

I've only done 2 cooks on an XLBGE.  Both low and slow, but only about 5 hours.
The first time I lit the coals in 3 places, like the points of an equidistant triangle touching the edges of the firebox.
The second time I lit the coals in only one place, right next to the air inlet vent.

Both methods worked, but I'm wondering about airflow affecting the burn pattern of the coal.  Maybe light the fire in one place on the side opposite the vent?  I suppose the coals would burn in a direction toward the vent.

Lighting the fire right at the vent, the air blows over the fire and the coals burned pretty much in a straight line toward the opposite edge.  The "left" and "right" sides of that line didn't burn at all.  Maybe they would have if I had let it keep burning.  Lighting at the opposite edge, perhaps the coals would burn in a wider pattern toward the incoming air.  I don't know.  What do y'all do?