Most manufacturers provide their IR codes in a document or in a format usable by a remote such as a Pronto. Most will, upon request, provide discrete codes if they exist. You just have to write to them and ask.

The reason I said it was a bad move wasn't because I was specifically talking about the ON/OFF scenario. That's very basic, but there are tons of other possible discrete commands which don't belong on the standard remote. Can you imagine every possible discrete input on a small remote? Some remotes do offer this functionality, but it's one of the reasons people replace stock remotes - button overload.

That site you linked to is an old favorite of mine. You can also get remote codes quite easily for almost anything via Remote Central. But yes, you have to be somewhat of a techy to even consider it. At the same time, a universal remote is somewhat geeky and until the Harmony line, every consumer-level universal was pretty much device oriented with little to no automation. Maybe a couple of marco keys and the ability to punch-through volume and power buttons.

However, the issue isn't that these buttons aren't on OEM remotes. It's all about the remote you're trying to set your customer up with. If the codes aren't already part of the database of that $25 remote then you really need to blame the maker of that remote. It's techy types and geeks that create remotes, so you know they have access to that info. It's why the Harmony, URC and Pronto databases include a TON of discrete commands. Harmony uses them by default if they exist for your device (forget for a moment that their DB is extremely dirty right now )

For most people, on an OEM remote, it's easier to have a single button for ON/OFF. It matches the toggle button usually found on the device itself. One extra button means losing the toggle. That's OK for some remotes. But you can't very well put discrete commands for all discrete functions on an OEM remote, even though they're amazingly useful when putting together an automation solution, including setting up an activity on a universal remote.