I'm just trying to extract some reasons for why people use one over another. All arguments seem to be preference so far. That's not what I am trying to evoke from you all...I guess what I really want to know is why do you all use one over another - what in your opinion makes one better than another and for what reasons?

In regards to the other thing...I still feel that our time is better spent, being that we are a small company with lots of projects, continuing the workflow rather than spending considerable time programming. Developing a solid relationship with an independent programmer, I think, is better than paying to have a high paid programmer on staff full time.

BTW - if you ever have a system where your automation hardware is the single point of failure for your lighting system, or any other system that it controls - you've made a huge mistake. The automation is supposed to control other systems, not be the system. If you have a room with no light switch or control, just a touch panel, then you are doing our industry and your customer a huge dis-service.