Just wondering what your comments would be on this trend, and what you are using now
1) The days of making prototypes in engineering is gone, you need manufacturing to build them.
2) The older I get and the weaker my eyes get the narrower the pins get :-(
3) The volume consumer thinks (s)he wants a smaller device (thinks - when cellphones were bigger you did not lose them) and since the industry caters to volume customers the miniturization of components is unavoidable.
4) GRIN AND BEAR IT.

Erik

Ps right now using small SMT for all but programmable devices, management got burnt badly 5 yrs ago with someone elses ISP design and thus insist on programmable devices being socketed.