Graynomad:
However once you decide on a family (in my case LPC) the chips are actually very easy to use, well the smaller ones anyway. The ability to MUX functions on pins is good and bad, I find that with a large chip (144 or 217 pins) I need a spread sheet to keep track of what function I have on what pin, that can quickly get to be a nightmare.
Have you tried ARMwizard?
If not (because I am seeing that you have experience with LPC family from NXP) can you try it, when you have time, and tell if this tool for setting ARM peripherals really simplify the work of programmers.