From: Jeffrey S. Sharp <jss(a)ou.edu> Common fault of many PC based programs these days. See (0). Add that their complexity has made them larger and therefor harder to optimize (should they even bother). I find that they are often less buggy than their competitors running on the same platform. See (2), add complexity complicates testing for all possible cases. There is always a pathological case that was untested. Agreed, they are to busy trying to make their's unique. extended' (read: raped) ones that are 'strategically documented'. Redundant, see (4). It industry wide now, I'm not certain it started with them. See (7). Common problem. I suspect they have competing factions, winner gets all. My $0.02... They {Apple and others included} made computers easier to use without the need for a CS degree. Yes, that means some or even many things are dumb to the point of sillyness remember the initial goal. No. It's a commodoity product that has advantages, limiations and flaws use it with understanding and care. They can be. They are also appliances, in many ways no different from the Microwave or car. Yes, and specious too. Once upon a time (about 50 years ago) you could spend a lot of money (months pay) and buy a TV or you could buy it as a kit (pre heithkit!). In a time log ago I built the Altair because buying a commercial product was manytimes more costly. I did that because I could and had a desire. Not everyone could, though they wanted and needed to tool I built, hence Apple and TRS80. Same story for the early drivers, pilots and other on the leading edge or a useful technology. They exist get used to it. Sometimes... they may present a problem that an engineer can really feel challenged to meet. Other times they try to satisfy a preceived need. Marketing without direction is no different than engineering without direction in that both cases expend resources to no significant gain. In the end they are or should be part of a team. I have no love for Micros~1. However I do use their product and within it's (DOS, W3.1, W9x, WinNT, W2k) limits it works ok for business. It's adaquate. Intelligently applied it does do real work with acceptable relibility with users that do not care how or why it works when their job is accounting, selling or managing stock. To many computers are just another tool. Allison