The term "Alpine" has had several different meanings, which is why I prefer the more precise 1.5-step or 2.5 step.

I use half-step on two bikes, 1.5-step on the other three, and I recommend either configuration, particularly the latter, heartily.

The nice thing about a close-ratio half-step, 1.5-step, or even 2.5-step is that most of your shifts are made using only the rear derailleur, i.e., going up or down two ratio steps at a time as you either work up through the gears while accelerating or down through the gears while climbing. Only when you need to fine-tune do you need to invoke a double shift, which is indeed trivial to learn and to use consistently and accurately in practice.

Here's the drill for a single-ratio change:
Always shift both derailleurs. If you go up in front, you need to go down either 1, for an upshift, or 2, for a downshift, in back. Likewise, if you go down in front, you need to go up by either 2, for an upshift, or 1, for a downshift in back. It's easy, it's fun, and it's eminently practical.

By the way, you can improve your ratiometric progression by using 50-42 or 52-44 instead of 52-42. Alternatively, change sooner from a 2-tooth to a 3-tooth progression in back.

My preferred setups include:
50-42 / 14-16-18-20-23-26
48-40-28 / 12-13-15-17-19-21-24-28
52-42 / 14-16-18-21-24-28 (an old standby, w/ or w/o the 28T cog)
52-42/ 13-15-17-20-23-26