Right now, there are a bunch of good artifacts that you get a very limited number of (or are extremely hard to acquire). The problem is these can be wasted because of ignorance as well as mistakes. Could programming be fixed to reduce the waste?

Crimson Cluster Missiles (actually, sab ability works the same)
From the comm archives today of a level 1000+: learned something new! Crimson Cluster Missiles do NOT destroy upgraded shields. poor dude burned up 3 before he realized.

Stryll Confinement Protocols
From the forums here: waste of arti, 50 ctp and a bit of energy later: answer is NO (they don't work on Sulcation Portals.
From the comm archives: Ooops, I guess you can use a Stryll Confinement Protocols on a planet with nothing to upgrade, that stinks.

Trellith Structural Energizer
Can be used on a planet with nothing to upgrade. While you could add something later on to upgrade, there is a chance that you might never be able to use that upgrade. (It happened on my rift planet a long time ago).

Conductive Pillar: Can go over the max passive attack. You don't get a warning and the attack doesn't increase. (I realize this has been brought up here for over a year now, it does fit this thread so I included it.

Yeah, I think it would nice to have some way of seeing what would be affected by a given artifact as well. E.g. a list of eligible target structures on the current planet. Extractors and some of the upgraded structures come to mind as one of these hidden problems - some structures on a planet may be extractable, but I'm not hoping to extract a space elevator when I first see a T.O. Manufacturing Core. Would be good to know pre-extractor activation.