I'm opening this thread to gather info from the user community about AI and its stability. To preface, I've been using Illustrator since AI 3 (not CS 3, the one after AI 88). I work at a service bureau, preparing artwork for many different agencies and creative groups for use in offset, flexo and gravure printing methodologies. I've used Illustrator on the Mac and I've used it on the PC. I use it everyday, 8+ hours a day.

And during that day, everyday, several times a day, it crashes. It crashes sometimes when I drag the hand tool. Sometimes when I cut and paste. Sometimes when I go to enter some text. Sometimes when I change a layer's visibility. It crashes on simple files with no live fonts (all outlined copy). It crashes on complex files, with dozens of layers and sub layers and multiple transparency interactions. The only common thread among them all is that while the OS is going to display "Illustrator has unexpectedly quit..." it was not unexpected at all to me.

My experience is not unique either. Because I work for a fairly large company, with multiple locations and teams, I get to hear a lot of feedback. It happens at all our plants, fairly regularly. It's just a known fact among our operators that when using AI, you better be saving every couple of operations, or you're asking for trouble. So given that, what I'm curious about is how many of you all see this behavior? How often? What are YOU doing when it happens? So if you could do me the favor of indulging my curiousity, in your replies give me something along the following template:

User: <yourname>

Occupation: <yourjob>

Platform: <win, osx>

AI Version: <cs4, cs5, etc.>

Average Hours Using AI Each Day: <guess-timate is fine>

Average Number of Crashes Each Day: <guess-timate is fine as well>

What Actions Generally Cause The Crash: <keep it short and to the point, maybe a paragraph>

Note!: Please refrain from demands for action, or flaming Adobe (or myself). I'm just trying to get my head around how bad this problem is and maybe give folks some chance to compare notes.