Don't hold back Bob... tell us how you really feel :) Seriously though, I've been contacted/visited by several other processor=20 manufacturers with the intention of swaying me over to their stuff, and=20 from what I've heard from people who actually use PICs AND other=20 processors (so they can compare), others have their issues also. Atmel=20 always tempted me because of their 40mA drive capability, but their lack=20 of ability to turn a profit for quite some time worried me. Now they're=20 doing much better and I'm sure that the Arduino movement gave them that=20 boost. What concerns me about Microchip is that support was much easier 5+=20 years ago. I could call and ask a question. Now I have to put in a=20 ticket and a few days later call up to ask why no one has responded to=20 the ticket. Not sure how Atmel's support it, but I expect the peer=20 support forums would be highly focused on Arduino code. FWIW, I'm in=20 the middle of teaching a multi-session Arduino class, so I know a bit=20 about those, and I can say they definitely serve a great purpose, but=20 not really my purpose. Other less-"consumer" processors will probably=20 not have great peer support... I suspect. I absolutely agree that Microchip needs to do more to make their=20 processors easier to get up and running with. It's not fun, as you say Bob= .. Cheers, -Neil. On 12/9/2014 11:34 AM, Bob Blick wrote: > If one must have a reason, the one I see is that PICs are crappy > microprocessors and Microchip has no idea how to put together a coherent > line of parts. > > Just comparing forums, the Piclist, 43oh, and avrfreaks, it's easy to > see that Atmel makes the most popular micros of the three. Microchip may > sell a lot of parts but they are (relatively) no fun to use. > > I don't design with PICs anymore. The world has moved on. And > Microchip's new offerings aren't as good as those from other vendors. > > Bob > > On Tue, Dec 9, 2014, at 02:46 AM, RussellMc wrote: >> " ... Russell is actually more responsible than any other single person >> for >> the decline of the PIClist. Look at the volume over time, particularly >> noting when Russell became a admin. ... Olin Lathrop". >> Elsewhere. >> >> So. >> Now you know. >> Apparently. >> >> R --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .