Whilst there are some folks who cannot get on with DAWs I do not think they are SO problematic that they should be avoided altogether. I do not count myself as any kind of computer whizz but I have used several DAWs over the years.
Hi ecc83. Just want to offer another perspective. I am a software engineer by trade and I suppose that qualifies me as a "computer whizz." I hold a computer science degree and a masters degree in software engineering and have about 20 years experience in the field. You have most likely used my software because my area is highly-public "web scale" web services and applications.
Further, I began using DAWs long ago and have used Logic, ProTools, Cubase, Ableton, CakeWalk, FruityLoops, etc. for both creating music, and capturing others music, and mixing with these pieces of software. I've also done voiceover, film, and speech work. All told, I can't even remember how many different pieces of in-the-box audio software I have used. I have even used all the auxiliary products like EZDrummer, Reason, etc. I've used them live on stage sometimes.
Now, that doesn't qualify me as anything special, and that's not my point.
My point is that this has given me the perspective that DAW's and software are not worth it sometimes. Even with all that experience and the ability to do complex stuff with software, I personally have found that such technology constantly works against the creative process and hasn't been constructed in a way that enables a smooth "flow." I have heard highly-visible mix engineers say the same. Chris Lord-Alge gave an interview to TapeOp about how he is not going to abandon his mixing board or his rack of analog gear just because the same is "possible" in-the-box. Although what's "possible" in software is the same as hardware, the actual experience is often quite degraded.
All that being said, I do not imagine to even recommend one way or another to anyone else. But I know what I have experienced and love to share it as a point of reference.
YMMV