Some kits use complex MCUs that vendors document poorly, if at all. That's a shame because programmers want to do useful things, not decipher information in 1000-page data books just to make I/O ports work.

You can manage large software projects, but you must learn how to apply a new "management" technique such as the Team Software Process (TSP) developed at Carniege-Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute. Learn more about it and how to use it.

Most people involved with personal computers realize Microsoft has a new operating system (OS), called Windows 7 that replaces Windows Vista and Windows XP.  System developers might not know Microsoft now has Windows-7-based operating systems for embedded products, thus the development of Windows Embedded Standard 7 (WES 7). But things get a bit confusing because it's difficult to keep track of everything Microsoft does.

The new GOPHER software, which helps you select the best MCUs, now includes an "Application Search Configurator." Type in, for example, "Motor control of a brushless 3-phase DC motor using BEMF for control with optimal MCU op amps."  The new software finds the MCUs that meet the stated requirements. I doubt you can beat that.

The addition of a floating-point math unit to a processor or microcontroller can greatly simplify programming and keeping track of values.