and on topic... boy does that skin suck
It may not be the preference for alot of the users here, but most likely, that was the preference of the customer. You can only hope, for what its worth, that the integrator, being a professional, would painfully suggest to do it this way or that way for the best flow...but in the end, it is the customer that is paying for it, and oversees the final design. You...or even I may say it sucks, but it is all in the eye of the beholder...which in this case...the ultimate beholder is the customer.