DWC is getting more and more popular simply because it is simplicity itself. Low start-up costs, minimal maintanence,and good results.I have tried it once and it seems to work ok ,but it can be a pain in the ass if you don't affix a drain system to the tub,especially on the larger systems.Hydroponic growing is a bit different than soil because you have to be on top of it daily as the situation with the growing solution changes so much.I personally prefer dirt ,in regards to how forgiving it is when I screw up,but ,other than that ,hydro is very popular with a lot of folks.