cjtinkle, I don't find your preferences flaky at all! That's a fabulous Bernina and who wouldn't want it?? I have my mom's Bernina 830 and am blessed to have it. It's not perfect but it's perfect for me. ♥
Cathy, I am an attachment whore...love them! There is a Kenmore in town haunting my brain right now mostly because of all the attachments it comes with whoo! I don't know enough about them all though. So many of you have such vast knowledge of the accessories, the machines, companies and histories!
Jim, I know next to nothing about the history of those companies. I know the Davis machines I have seen look pretty cool though. It's all so complicated to me how sewing machine companies bought and sold each other, copied each other, contracted and re-branded. My education is still so very shallow. I hope by hanging out here I will learn more and more of the histories and it will begin to become clearer.