of fonts and discontent

when did trebuchet ms become all the rage?  i've always found it to be a rather ghastly and weak font, and so was unsurprised to find out that it was designed by someone at microsoft (hence the ms) and as we all know, microsoft wouldn't know decent design if redmond itself was infected w/ a design virus.  and anyway, what's wrong w/ arial?  or courier new or verdana or georgia?  why trebuchet ms of all fonts?  ugh.