@
cyccommute, 2 statements you made are inaccurate. 1, the hydraulic system should be self adjusting for wear. 2, in comparing between rim brakes and "disc" brakes being both disc brakes.....the big difference is rigidity. The caliper on disc brakes will flex much less the calipers of a rim brake and the rim is far more likely to collapse than a solid steel disc. The hydraulic system likely generates far more power and the disc brake system will be much more efficient at transferring power into stopping power.
Another factor I don't have the math knowledge to calculate is how much advantage the leverage of being so far from center give rim brakes over a 160-180mm disc. That's the only advantage I could see rim brakes having.
Bikes I've looked at, where comparing at a price, point seem to give up a lot in group level and in turn, weight to get disc brakes. I'd rather have a 105 equipped bike at 18.xx pounds that a Sora equipped bike at 20.xx pounds given the prices were about the same.
As far as opinions, it seems people who have disc brakes like them a lot better than those who don't yet.