Darn, Too Reliable!

Every designer secretly wishes that her or his creations become icons. But be careful what you wish for, especially if you happen to be designing small arms. Mikhail Kalashnikov is the designer behind the AK-47, the most popular assault rifle in the world, with over 100 million in existence.

Kalashnikov recently lamented the icon status of his creation:

"I didn't put it in the hands of bandits and terrorists and it's not my fault that it has mushroomed uncontrollably across the globe. Can I be blamed that they consider it the most reliable weapon?"

Good thing I could never say the same thing about the products I've worked on. Or, could I?