The VSM is based on industry standard PSpice software by Proteus.
basic simulators can cost upwards of £100, most averaging around £300, with the platinum edition peaking at £3500.
for £50, you get a HUGE array of tools and components that allows you to simulate analogue and digital circuits, from audio amplifiers and filters, to silicon shift registers, AND simulate a picaxe circuit before you shell out £15-£20 for some kit to test it.
Sure, if you've got the hardware lying around, its cheaper, but you still run the risk of popping your pic. Besides which, you have to rebuild your test bench, so you cant work on multiple projects at once unless you have multiple testbenches.
I absolutely love it, it has allowed me to do some proof-of-concept things extremely quickly and cheaply. Also helped me to understand exactly whats being sent along i2c busses etc. Sure, you can look at the specs, but seeing it on a scope is so much nicer.
As for "disableware"... dont get me started. I hate that management/business/make-up word speech thing going on.
The picaxe vsm is not Shareware, or Freeware, or "disableware". It is Software. Proper, proffessional software. Like MS Word, Pro Tools, AutoCAD and nuumerous other professional bits of software. The fact that they have offered a demo showing the functionality of the software is very kind of them!
It is not something to be downloaded on the sly and cracked.
Rev-Ed have developed an incredibley clever line of products at an extremely affordable price bracket. Although intended as educational, they haven't confined it to educational purchases only, and have kept prices as low as possible for the public at large!
They have complimented this line of products with a FREE programming and simulating suite, allowing for easy debugging, program following, and even simulation of basic parts.
For the more ambitious, they have developed extremely powerful software that allows whole circuits to be simulated, with the same level of program following offered by the free editor.
respect rev-ed...
/rant
