rubik: the 737 can also be 'fail active' depending what option you select on buying the plane.Also it can autoland on single channel ,and also on single engine operation.The thing is ,it was not authorized to do this by the FAA when it first appeared,and due to large number of 737's in operation,it had to remain the same,mainly for commonality.
The NG is a lot smarter,but then again,it had to fit with the classics.Look at the Southwest airplanes for ex:no VNAV,no autothrottle...
The A320 it's a very new airplane compared with the 737 .( compare the 6 million flights done by the 320 familly with the 76 million done by the 737 untill the end of 2005).
About the DC-10 incident I think the main reason for landing on an airfield was the emergency services..critical on saving lifes..
Also,the flat farm land will prove not so flat or obstacle free when looked at from close range,ask any bush pilot,glider or ultralight pilot.
Any tree,ditch,rock,ravine,swamp... can prove fatal for your plane on a 'nice' flat farm land.
Concorde?..hmm..not a plane with which to try a landing outside,on the grass..the engines nacelles,the NOSE...I think it was a big NO.