Side question: Why do people buy baguettes? Do they make sandwiches with them? How do you even make a sandwich from them? How are you meant to beat a baguette???

Side question: Why do people buy baguettes? Do they make sandwiches with them? How do you even make a sandwich from them? How are you meant to beat a baguette???

Depends on what it was baked in/how it was shaped.
The white bread is baked in a rectangular pan, the middle is baked in a dutch oven (but not always), and the last is just shaped that way as you portion out the dough as far as I know