Technique question for the fishies - Advice appreciated

A little background:
I'm a new triathlete.  I've been able to swim since lessons when I was 6, but never really swam for anything other than pleasure (i.e., hanging out at the lake/pool/etc) before this year.  I feel totally comfortable in the water, but am now trying to figure out this whole technique thing to go FASTER!!  :D  I started out this year swimming about 2:00/100yd, and swam 1:48/100yd at my last HIM, Steelhead (possibly assisted slightly by current?).  I've done 1:40/100yd for 400yds before in the pool.

My dilemma:
I read a post on swimsmooth that suggested doing a few lengths practicing certain common errors to see how they felt, then practicing correct technique to see the difference.  One of the sets was to swim 4 lengths with 4 varying head positions (1 length looking forward, 1 looking slightly forward, 1 down, and 1 slightly back).  They said either position is fine, time yourself and do what makes you faster.  Turns out I am faster when I look forward.  HOWEVER, I had previously read that you should look straight down, for better body position and streamlining.  I have been practicing swimming this way (head forward) for a few weeks.  I can really feel it in my neck and shoulder blades.  I've also found that it helps my breathing some - either my head is already further out of the water when I turn to breathe, or there is a better pocket, or something, because I find myself not having to lift myself up to breathe anymore.  It seems like this really reduces a dead spot in my stroke.

Questions!
Now I am wondering - is this really good technique and I should continue, or should I instead be addressing my other errors separately?  I wonder if looking forward is doing nothing more than contracting my shoulder blades, causing me to use my lats more effectively in my stroke and if I could do that while still looking down, I'd be even faster.  Or, maybe looking forward helps only because I can breathe better and reduce that dead spot. 

Should I be still looking straight down and instead working on the other issues separately?  Or is looking forward okay and is an appropriate fix?  Help!  Thanks.