We do hard lines here at XJT but we have a goofball program called Ad-Opt that basically works like PBS (you set parameters and it takes the hardlines and reorders them in the way that best fit your avoid/desire preferences). Works well if you want to do something simple like 4 day trips, weekends off. The more parameters you put into it though, seems the more screwed up it gets. I've used it with some success but if I want to be real sure I tend to get my hands on an old fashioned paper bid packet and do a manual bid. The nice thing about Ad-Opt is that since you are ordering hard lines you can see EXACTLY what your bid is. None of this praying to the PBS gods for what you want and hoping that you'll be blessed.

As far as getting stuck with some D-bag for a month, our trip trading policy and the Initial Line Improvement Window make it pretty easy to get out of flying with someone you don't like or to fly with someone you do like. Also, the CA line awards come out the day before the FO bids are due so you can see what line each CA got and put Capt. D-bag's line at the bottom of your list or put your old instructor from the FBO at the top of your list.