Poor programming undoes Microsoft access control mechanisms

Why do developers of Windows programs write their programs in such a way that they force users to be local administrator?
Last week we were setting up a new domain server and all went well until we went to run some software. We had what looked like permissions problems and spent a long time checking that the users we were setting up did in fact have access to the data files we had copied to the new server.
Only after half an hour did it transpire that users had to be made local machine administrators in order to make the software run. Some files held locally cannot be accessed otherwise.
The main problem with Windows is that it derives from an OS that gave any user full control over the machines and the system itself.
Microsoft have been trying to do their bit to redress that with making domain members restricted users and with the new UAC controls. We all know why Microsoft has to address this issue. So why do developers then undo all this by writing code that requires ordinary users to have local admin rights. This leaves machines open to attack from malware which is just plain stupid.
Developers cannot absolve themselves by saying it's Microsoft's problem. If we pull together then we might get to a position where Windows no longer needs to have performance dragging anti malware in place.