Hi Lauderdale,
Let us just say that my experience has let me deal with them.
Let me see, Jepp give a nice story on how the system was built to calculate flight shots to the moon, but the darned system cannot check to see if a Airway is closed and its optimizer only a MTT does just that...but does no checks on anything (Boy do I love those FIR NOTAMS).
Therefore, when I made the optimizer statement, it meant to include checks. Of course as you saw in my post, it did mention they all have thier respective quirks.
Therefore, the statement is correct, unless you are reading it on another level (of course the other systems (ones) use route links or route strings to put a route together).
But I agree with you wholeheart that if the sales guys come a showing...better ask for a "Shoot-Out" to determine it.
However, I might add onto this, I would dare not blame the vendors...the ATC situation is an absolute comedy...oh, let me take that back "tragedy" better fits.
Sorry if I confused.com'd the issue.
Bigdaddy