Why Maya, why?

Getting a mesh to move around shouldn't be this hard. I have downloaded or printed as many free tutorials on rigging as I can and I understand the theory but in practice, the whole thing falls apart.

I'm rigging a character with unusual legs and feet right now. I set up the IK and tested it; looked okay. I added control curves to the ankle and toes and parented them to the ankle and tested it and the whole leg....... I would say flipped but that doesn't begin to touch it; more like had a siezure.

When I tried to undo, it remaind siezed so I quit without saving and grabbed a beer. What I want to know is why it is so complex. I'm sure somebody who worked for Alias back in the day knew what all of the sub-menus did but to me it just adds several unnecessary dimensions to make something go wrong.

The analogy I like to use is: I make a paper airplane but to get it to fly I have to give it the controls of a Space Shuttle.

So, again I ask, "Why?"