I totally get where you're coming from Lowell, and in general agree with you.
Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at things, for the next year or two when I go out to the zoo, or park, or whatever I have a little tiny boy with me who doesn't walk, poops in his pants and brings a metric ton of accessories along with him.
I have a very nice backpack and I
could carry 3 or 4 lenses, 2 bodies, filters, flash and a 15" widescreen laptop plus a tripod and monopod strapped on to boot. I
could, I just don' wanna.
For these very informal outings I just want one (1) lens and my K10D so I don't have the bulk and I don't have to think past that single setup. Basically, I'm looking for the simplicity of a P&S here but I just can't stand using a P&S - they don't fit my hands.
So a super/wide zoom, while it probably isn't sharp enough for the pages of NatGeo or terribly fast, I
think should work well. I'm compromising a tad bit of IQ for a tidbit of sanity is all.