I rode a triple on my old Seven for years before converting to a compact crank.
Yes, the ratios are different. You have to re-learn how to shift. There is a learning curve. A friend of mine just converted last year. At first, he hated the compact. Now that he knows how to shift it, and knows where the gears are, he loves it.
Incidentally, SRAM now has an 11-32 road cassette (10-spd).
Says SRAM:
"First 11-32 on the road. Gears that are lower and higher than existing triple gear ratios with less redundancy and perfectly smooth gearing transitions. The wider range of gears provides efficiency for improved climbing and descending with unmatched efficiency."
I had it installed on my new commuter.