dr. farr re: the application of genuine whole sign methods
to chart delineation http://www.astrologyweekly.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42085
Beginners are likely to come across placidus first, particularly if they use a site like Astrodienst to draw a chart as it is the default on that and others. My ever first chart drawn up in the eighties was placidus too. Although I know that traditional astrologers tend to use what you have mentioned.