I build up and ride a lot of bikes and will still use centre pull brakes because of their excellent stopping power and the fact they can be found very cheaply... my Peugeot fixed gear runs a Weinmann centre pull with Kool stop pads and the stopping power is nothing short of amazing.

If you are not concerned with weight and need good tire anf fender clearance then centre pull brakes can be a good choice.

People also complain about cantis and in most cases the complaints stem from an improper setup... there is a good reason why touring biikes use them as they are solid, tend to be trouble free, and provide much needed stopping power when a bike is loaded down with gear.

When I rebuilt my 1973 Raleigh Gran Sport I used a Shimano 600 group and some vintage 70's Dura Ace centre pull brakes as these offer better stopping power than the 600's side pulls and are also as old as the bike.