One of the myths about learning Chinese is that the simplified is seemingly easier to pick up compared to the traditional one. But in my opinion, neither writing system is easier than the other one. It largely depends on how much time you spend studying it. In most cases, I memorise new characters by their shapes or make up my own mnemonics to recognise them in the next time I encounter them. I prefer using the traditional one since when I started to pick up Chinese, I learnt this first. But I would not reject the idea of learning the simplified one as it's good to know both, isn't it? 

Only one major problem with the traditional scripts, at least for me only, is that some many-stroke traditional characters are hardly recognisable on the electronic devices' screen unless you zoom in it.

But when it comes to writing the traditional scripts, it's a different story. Haha


 

對啊 你說得對 比如說 "只" "隻" 這兩個字不一樣 不過簡體字都是"只"

我學了繁體字 因為我在一所台灣華語學院中心學了中文

IMHO the use of PC input methods largely eroded the implied benefits of simplified Chinese. For learners it makes sense to know both, even in China you see the trad type from time to time.

A Nice question, by the way.

Now when most people would rather type, simplified characters lose part of appeal.

Alas, I still rather have Chinese in plans that really have started with it, so i can't answer. I just recognize some characters.. and nothing more. Quite often I prefer traditional ones....
But still I don't know a single one of those with Really Many Strokes)

Christina, it seems you’re living / lived in China Mainland. I know that you talked about practicality, but you couldn’t say Traditional Chinese isn’t Official writing. Just like British English and American English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese both are official writings which depend on areas and countries. :p