Counters are slow to load, and low numbers can make the site look bad.
High numbers can make the site maintainers look arrogant.
If you're looking for a way to simply count the users who visit, use an invisible counter, or one that displays numbers on the page the same color as the background. Then, use your mouse to highlight the area where you know the counter exists, and see your stats. If you're looking for detailed statistics, no other program that I've found beats Webtrends. Check it out. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own, and in no way reflect the opinions of The University of Arizona.