The easiest option is sometimes not the best.

In my years of CRM, the one thing that makes me cring is the dreaded optionset (picklist) field. What's so bad about it?

It always starts off with a set number of choices. Then you get requests to add more options. Or worse, add the dreaded "Other". "Other" then requires another field to store that value. Now you must be thinking...how many times has this guy faced "Other". But the truth is that I've learned to ask specific questions during the requirements phases of a CRM implementation. "Other" brings chaos. Users will put all sorts of garbage in that Other field. Where this all becomes any issue is if you have to do any reporting and aggregation on that field. Then everyone looks at the "Other" field and want to add that to the list of options. It's a cursed cycle.

While in CRM 2011, optionsets are much more flexible with global usage options. I am still partial to using a little Javascript to account for impending "Other". I take a standand CRM text (navchar) field. Add on a webresource with a script that transforms the text field into a picklist OnLoad of the form. One field...multiple options, and you could even have the user to select "Other", and the text field would reveal itself. I've even been asked to only show existing values of other records as options.

There is always another way to skin a cat, but then you have a bald cat.