Read my post again -- I never said XMR uses nodes.  The point was that the only other "solution" which doesn't use masternodes is likely DOA (obviously this is my opinion) because of various barriers to adoption.  DRK is not inferior if merchants don't incorporate cryptonote coins because they are well... for all intents and purposes unusable.  It is "interesting tech" and nothing more.

So you can have the science experiment (or your pick of the various anon scam coins) -- and the smart investors will take DRK and its anonymity supported by masternodes.