<<<I really don't know what the difference is between phosphor-bronze and 80/20 or anything else, and at this point I'm too afraid to ask.>>>
Heres the deal in my experience:
To my ears 80/20 Bronze are the brightest with the sweetest tone when you put em on. They also oxidize, wear out, and go dull the fastest. I have some pretty corrosive sweat compared to some people. 80/20s for me go dull as a doorknob with 8-10 hrs of playing. But I love how a set of Martin or J Pearse 80/20s sound on my D28 when you first string em.
Phosphor Bronze are a little more brassy and harsh (to my ears anyway) than 80/20s when first strung up. But they play in in an hr or two and they last a good deal longer before they go dead. Just jamming for 3-4 hrs once a week, I can usually get close to a month out of a set of phosphor bronze. I usually buy DiAddarios in the enviro pack, but I havnt found much difference in any brand of phosphor bronzes.
Coated strings are the dullest new, comparable to a half worn set of Phosphor Bronze or 80/20s. But they stay the same for months before they get really bad. I've started using them especially for acoustics that dont get regular use. They seem to keep their tone for up to a year or more in the case with very little oxidation. I tried the EXP coated and didn't really care for the tone. Seemed a bit harsh to my ears. I've settled on the lightest coated Elixers, Nanowebs or Polywebs, I forget which is which. I bought several sets a couple of years ago and still have a set or two of them.