So you'll have to change things up a bit since you're using charcoal instead of gas. Which makes for a different cooking environment. I'm a big fan of the snake method personally. Though I'm doing my bbqing in a kettle and not a WSM so that's probably why. There's a lot of different ways to do this stuff out there, and I don't think there's any ONE right way to do it. As some one whose still learning and experimenting I would recommend checking out some youtube links and checking out the amazingribs.com website, which has a lot of awesome info.
For me when it comes to ribs, for my tastes, I find the 3-2-1 method makes awesome ribs. I set up a snake in my kettle, with 2 bottom rows of briquettes (usually 15 in each row) and 1 - 2 rows ontop (same amount of briquettes), to this I also place like 4 - 5 chunks of Apple wood. I also use a water pan, which helps regulate the temp inside the kettle. Water absorbs a LOT of thermal energy to raise it's temperature, and uses even more when it goes through a phase change and turns into steam. I get that settled in at 225, and then I put my ribs, and let them cook in that for 3 hours, then I take them and wrap them in foil with some liquids, and put them back on for another 2 hours, I then take them out of the foil and let them go another 30 - 60 minutes. You'll find a much better explanation of this method on amazingribs.com. That said though I some times also do a different take on them. I found this asian rib sauce recipe that some times I'll braise the ribs in an oven at 350 degrees (in the asian rib sauce) for 2 hours, then take them out and smoke them on the grill at 300 for like an hour and a half. During this time I take some of the rib sauce I saved off to the side which I reduced down so it's nice and think and glaze the ribs with it. Ohhh I'll also smoke them with tea bags instead of hard wood during this method. Both styles come out super tasty and tender, and they represent a myriad array of ways to make them.
I say just start making ribs and see what you like. Don't forget to post pics for all of us to see! Ohhh I'd also recommend getting a digital thermometer, they're much more accurate than the bi-metal ones you find as oven thermometers or like you find inside of grills. My Maverick is right on, while the thermometer built in on my kettle will be anywhere from a few degrees away to +/- 20 to 30 degrees from the Maverick. They're also usually slower to react than the digital ones.
I may have rambled and not answered any of your questions there, if so sorry, but I do hope I gave some help.