[hatfieej]

I can speak a little from my experience in electronics at GE Appliances. I hated most of interfaces we put on things, but that wasn't my call to make in engineering. I seriously doubt it's a patent thing. Note that we didn't make microwaves -- we outsourced them. There aren't a lot of companies that make them any more. Competition is primarily on price. You want to keep costs low -- R&D, development, manufacture and warranty. Justifying an increase of pennies per unit is tough in that environment if you can't prove a direct increase in sales. Think of decisions being made with the mindset that you don't get promoted by increasing the cost 50 cents per board. ;)