Logicator confusion

[womai]

I just started introducing my 7 year old son into Picaxe programming on the Microbot. For this I am using the Logicator. We have LEDs blinking and Happy Birthday playing (just copied the examples in the Microbot manual) so the first hurdle is behind us and my son is very excited. However a few questions as to licensing and capabilities arise:

(1) initially I confused the flowchart mode in the programming editor with the logicator. How do these two compare - is the former just an older version of logicator, or really something entirely different? Logicator seems to have the more intuitive, more modern GUI.

(2) The Picaxe website talks about both a free version as well as a shareware version of Logicator. The latter has a nag screen whenever it starts or whenever one wants to save a file. How do I switch into the "free version"? (right now I do not think we will need any advanced capability, blinking LEDs and driving motors will keep my son occupied for a while). There is one installer and it seems that after installation the software runs in shareware mode no matter what. I could not find a separate download for the free version.

 

[hippy]

(1) initially I confused the flowchart mode in the programming editor with the logicator. How do these two compare - is the former just an older version of logicator, or really something entirely different? Logicator seems to have the more intuitive, more modern GUI.

Logicator is different. What is in Programming Editor can be thought of as a fore-runner of Logicator and is more limited, less user friendly and does not support latest PICAXE.

In short; forget the flowcharting capabilities of Programming Editor exist, that's been superseded by Logicator.

(2) The Picaxe website talks about both a free version as well as a shareware version of Logicator. The latter has a nag screen whenever it starts or whenever one wants to save a file. How do I switch into the "free version"? ... There is one installer and it seems that after installation the software runs in shareware mode no matter what. I could not find a separate download for the free version.

There is only one installer.

The free version is for school network use only. It has a more limited instruction set to make it simpler for younger students, but that wouldn't help you with the microbot.

With the 'shareware version' (for individuals) it is also effectively free because anyone is able to download it and run it unregistered.

However when registered the 'nag screens' go away. You have to purchase a registration code to make it registered. Then you simply apply the codes to the already installed unregistered / 'free' version and it will become a registered version.

 

[womai]

Thanks for the quick reply - makes all sense now.