I had been riding triples for many years - then got a 'vintage' bike for a project last spring and wanted to change the original drivetrain. With the triples I found that the 39T ring provided almost all the gear combos I needed with the exception of crawl gears for the steeps.
Therefore, I installed a modern 39-26 MTB crank with a 10 speed cassette 11-32. Actuation is provided by 10-speed indexed DT shifters.
I have ridden this set-up for about 500 miles and really like the gear combos, DT simplicity, and indexed shifting. I also don't miss having 3 chainrings.
Drivetrains are a very rider-specific choice - to each his own.