I can't tell you how many times I've seen forum posts just like these over the past ten years, for a variety of things -- new hardware, video game releases and patches, MMO updates... all demanding the same thing, full transparency from the parent company. Customers strongly dislike being left in the dark. And people say exactly what you say -- that it shouldn't be this way.
I'm not sure why people think this makes sense. I understand and sympathize with their frustration, but consider the infrastructure a company would need to keep every customer aware of their own personal circumstance concerning their service or product. It's unfeasible, just from a cost and manpower perspective. Furthermore, what if any company's initial estimates are incorrect? The blowback from a missed date would result in horrendous customer perception and be a PR mess. The only thing a company can do in such a situation is give a vague date that can't go wrong and work as quickly as possible to feed their frothing customers.
I ordered my HTC Incredible this past Thursday, on May 20th. The picture on the VZW website said it was guaranteed to ship by June 11th. I take this to mean "in the worst case scenario." Verizon, like any company, is going to provide a date that both gives them sufficient elbow room for them to be sure, but not so distant as to completely dissuade the customer. Maybe it'll come sooner. The posts in the past few pages of this thread lead me to believe I'll have to wait at least two weeks. But maybe a giant order of Dincs will come into VZW's hands tomorrow, and I'll be lucky to ride the wave so soon after ordering. But maybe not. It sucks being in the dark, but there's little to be done. Patience, be my harbor.
Edit: Oh, and for perspective, the phone I've been using for the past 2 and a half years and will be using while I wait for my Dinc is a Samsung Gleam. That's right, I'm still using a "feature" flip phone! Ahhhhh....
