Sure there are no grand hardware or software innovations in the Arduino.
There is nothing new in the hardware, just a couple of datasheet circuits stitched together. Albeit after some cutting out of not
necessarily needed parts like i.e. various 100nF filter caps.
I never took a look at the software.
People terrified of technology at the chips and solder and code level. They pretty much said here's the Arduino. It's warm and cozy, it's easy, and it's not at all scary.
User compatible. Plug and play. In short, they build it with a very high WAF.
That is the proof that they were artists, not engineers.
(WAF: Woman Acceptance Factor - aka will she let it stay in the living room.
Not that engineers are supposed to know to know about the concept of another sex in the first place.
![Wink ;)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
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Plenty of them will write a few sketches, say that was cool, then go on to become accountants and lawyers. A few, however, will catch the spark. They'll say that was cool, but what's a PIC? an ARM? What's "C"?
I believe that's the vast majority of Arduino users. People playing, having fun, and that's totally cool.
Arduino is to electronic and software engineering as an Erector Set is to mechanical engineering.
I think along that line too.
There won't be many that want to take a closer look. - But since there are masses playing with it and thus getting exposure they would not get before there will be at lot of them in the end.
Me linking the video above was not a complete joke, using an arduino board to automatically probe for UART or JTAG interfaces on several pins is an advanced step on the way to an engineering career/vocation.
What *I* find REALLY interesting (and maybe a little scary) is that I am personally aware of three different little start-ups that have products on the market that used the arduino for their product development, and are using that silly little $20 board to program their production ICs. Their products are simple, their design is solid, and in the one case where I got to review the code, it was really well done. maybe that's why some of the old timers get so testy. Three companies, three electronic products on the market, and not a single electronic or software engineering degree anywhere to be found.
Scream at the avalanche all you want, it's still coming strait at you.
Well, it should not be necessary to use an actual arduino board in a product, unless you sell a shield. They are not bad, they are solid for what they do, but they are not state of the art either. Not even application note or datasheet level because some parts like afore mentioned filter caps have been stop lossed.
You can take the layout, rip it off for everything but the false header spacing, and don't even have to credit them because it is all in the datasheets of the used components. Actually if you take a look at those AN and datasheets you will have a more reliable product at a couple of cent cost.
I have to guess, but I say the problem is manufacturing a populated board for them.