jIM wrote:
other than your opinions on behr, sears and sherwin williams paints,
can you refer me to something which states why the other paint is
better?

it appears the retailers make the paint accessible, and the sherwin
williams web site is quite easy to use to pick out colors, so
explaining what is wrong with paint, or pointing me to an objective
discussion is appreciated.

My two cents: lots of posts to this newsgroup praise the main paint
brands Sher. Williams, Ben Moore, Pratt Lambert. When I tried Sears
paint, years and years ago, it was disappointing. I found ratings in
Consumer Reports, I believe, and tried Ben Moore because it was highly
rated. After many paint jobs, and trying other brands a time or two, it
remains my favorite. Price is a good guage, but not the only one by any
means. Good paint goes on more easily and stands up to wear and tear.
I used Ben Moore alkyd semi-gloss in my kitchen in 1980. No exhaust
fan, lots of grease, many heavy duty cleanings, three kids and a few
pets, and it looked good 15 years later. I generally use pretty neutral
color paint for interior and put the color in furnishings and decor, so
I don't repaint every couple of years.

My parents had Ben Moore on their new home in 1983, and repainted 10
years later, just for good measure. It looked like new, no peeling or
mildew (Florida).

The paint companies, BM included, have lots of resources, including
technical aspects of the best product for special applications, like new
drywall, galvanized metal, problem surfaces, etc. Good place to read
labels.