[carrigan]

Arduino. I went to school for Electrical Engineering and learned programming for small embedded computers using assembly. While assembly can be fun as an optimization puzzle, it takes a very long time to code even a simple project. Additionally, these computers can have 1000+ page datasheets that you need to comb through in order to set their peripherals up.

Arduino takes care of setting up the peripherals, gives easy to use functions to control the chip, and hands over the keys to a fully ready C++ build chain. When I finished my first project I was hooked and tried to use them everywhere I could for prototyping, and always aimed to make my hardware libraries as easy to use as Arduino.

[ChristianGeek]

Every software developer owes it to themselves to pick up an Arduino and experience the sheer joy of writing simple software to control basic hardware (or more advanced software to control more advanced hardware once you get hooked).