As I scratch my head for the thousandth time wondering who came up with the bright idea of the standard desktop computer, it occurs to me that this month’s CrossTalk theme is extremely pertinent. I am sure that the promoters of the standard desktop did not consider that a software maintenance group might need multiple versions of a single software package loaded onto the same desktop. Nor did they imagine that continually pushing out patches would create a configuration management nightmare in our software integration laboratories. Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software solutions have long been touted as the best- or least-cost solution to many software design requirements. We save major development costs by using commercial products and, in theory, can significantly accelerate the delivery schedule. The Air Force is engaging in this venture on a massive scale with the implementation of Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS) – based on a commercially available Enterprise Resource Planning system. The projected life-cycle cost savings due to phasing out legacy information systems are staggering. However, the success of ECSS, and of all COTS software implementations, is dependent on a realistic assessment of all costs, benefits, and risks.