I didn't think it was that bad. Expensive and no fast track but they were fairly friendly and no queues at the office. The whole photocopying your entire passport was a touch annoying but after the Uzbek experience somewhere will have to try very, very hard to be worse.

Though I agree that combined with the almost total lack of tourist nfrastructure in Algeria isn't a great incentive to return. Finding a guide for the kasbah took quite a bit of hunting. Shame as it is a fascinating place.