To be fair I preferred the clutch idea as I've always been a bit sceptical of torque converters. I never had any problems with my Jazz Sport clutch.
Torque converters have been used since the 30's, on everything from railway locomotives, buses, trucks, industrial plant, cars, and even in marine applications. They virtually run for ever, and do their job brilliantly. They use a little energy but they don't wear out and leave you stuck at the side of the road. The life of a bus is about as hard on a transmission as you can get, and they will run for 1,000,000 miles.
I am a great fan of the torque converter.