Even when I started photography in the early 1970s one had to process one's own B&W film as reliable processing and printing were not easily found. APS, by preventing the photographer from developing and printing the film, was, in my opinion, the worst photographic invention of our time.
I like the idea behind APS. Though I see only little benefit in reducing the film width with respect to the achieved camera size reduction. A 35mm APS Cassette would not have needed much bigger cameras.