@Pumper
Can you program in flowchart ?. Does it do SPI, Serial, Unio, 1-wire, IR in and out, FORWARD, Servo, Pause, Wait, etc - all without any code libraries ?. Can an 8 year old understand it ? Can you brick it, then recover at the push of a button ?. Has it got a very helpful support form ?. Is it a staple element of many school curricular ?
It is ridiculous to compare two systems, unless the two systems are aimed at the same market.
Which is better, a Ferrari race car or a John Deere Tractor ?. John Deere don't say their tractors will do 250kph, but lots of farmers still buy them. I've not seen many Ferraris spraying 3 tonnes of pig muck over a field.
If I wanted to build a project that needed VGA and 'proper' maths I would not choose PICAXE, but that is no reason to knock PICAXE.
The Marmite is what is is, and the PICAXE is something different. Not better, not worse, it's different. ( Wasn't that Steve Job's saying - Think different ? )