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Atmel microcontrollers are not cheap compared to STM and Microchip. Why did Arduino select Atmel MCUs such as atmega328 and atmega2560 on their board out of so many alternatives?

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Simply because the Wiring system that Arduino stole was written for the Atmel chips.

Arduino didn't "invent" the Arduino system - they just took an existing system called Wiring and adapted it slightly and branded it Arduino.

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I wonder why did Arduino succeed when Wiring failed given that Wiring had first-mover advantage. – user768421 yesterday
3  
It's called Marketing. If you have it then you win. – Majenko yesterday
    
Actually, "stolen" is quite a bold word. If Wiring didn't want any forks, they should use licence that prevents them, not GPL created exactly to allow them. At least that's for software, can't find licences for actual wiring, but arduino uses open licence for them as well. – Mołot yesterday
    
@Mołot Maybe "Appropriated" then? Blatantly used and pretty much claimed as their own with little or no reference to the original Wiring project. Actually, "stolen" fits that quite well... – Majenko yesterday
    
@Majenko AFAIK they posted all references actually required by original licence. Of course, GPL is easygoing about that. But that's what Wiring decided to use. Are you using any sources just the way licence allows you to? Does it make you a thief?.. Would you find it fair to call you thief if you follow licences of code you use?.. OK, they wasn't as nice as they might be, but they fulfilled their duties. It's not like Wiring ever forbade what they did. – Mołot yesterday

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