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<< Blaming the customer, even if that is
 the real reason, does not work because the bad publicity from a couple
 of cases like that is going to kill the business.  It is your fault
 after all, if your product is so complicated and finicky that an
 "average" customer can not install it. >>

A refreshingly enlightened (and realistic) point of view from a product
developer.  In this day and age of "customers as beta testers" it is with a
large sigh of relief that I hear of someone else who shares my opinion of the
duty incumbent of a manufacturer of a new product.  It is this sense of duty
that has led us to not pursue many "good products", due to support or other
reasons.

Rest assured, this attitude is NOT CHEAP.  You will pay a premium for it, and
the best way of telling if they are successful is to look back a few years at
the original claims and see if the company has lived up to them.  Just
yesterday I was clearing out some old materials and came upon an AOPA program
from the 1998 convention (not very long ago...).  Narco advertised a slew of
new versions of the Mk12D for plug in retrofit, claiming that this would
boost sales and provide the customer base for decades of support.  Last time
I checked, the local shop couldn't even get parts for the few of these things
that make it in.  Caveat Emptor.

I prefer to debate the relative merits of Garmin vs. King and occasionally
UPSAT.  SFS has been around long enough now to be seriously considered, but
the non-cert outfits are scary as heck.  Certification and TSO's are no
guarantee, remember Terra (ble) and Magellan?  I hope SFS continues to
succeed;  they have a great product, are forward thinking and obviously
conscientious.

Eric Ahlstrom
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