But ya know, I don't wanna choose a mash profile from a list. I don't want to have to deal with equipment profiles. I want it to be more free form. It's entirely possible that it can work like that and I haven't figured it out yet, which is why I keep going back to Beersmith and working with it.
Come on now - choose a basic one from a list and then alter it (via the little check box next to the list drop-down) to your heart's content - even rename it Denny's Nonconformist Mash profile
you can add steps or delete them, etc. And you can save your own mash profile to reuse later.
Its not rigid - its organized and actually quite versatile- you just have to know how to work within its parameters, which involves playing around with it to become accustomed.
What I'm hearing is simply people being used to a particular program - which is okay - nothing wrong with using what's comfortable.
Edit: actually, in looking at it - you don't even have to choose from the list - just hit "add mash step"