and the picaxe for the simpler and cheaper tasks
That was my idea at first. But, I just gave away a few weeks ago all of my PICAXE chips: 20X2, 08M2, 14M, 18M.... all in all, about $200 worth of silicon and parts.
Why? Because it is simply easier to use a tiny45 or a 328P-PU bare (internal RC @8MHz) for stuff. Just one set of datasheets. Just one compiler. Just one set of reusable code.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-A-FLAT-duino/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Digital-and-Analog-logging-using-V-USB/
http://forum.arduino.cc//index.php?topic=169826.0
http://www.instructables.com/id/DS1307-Mental-Health-for-Arduino-Users/
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=139907.0
http://www.instructables.com/id/Under-8-Arduino-Serial-Data-Logger-Record-to-SD/
Etc, Etc, Etc.
PICAXE is great... like a bicycle with training wheels.... once those training wheels are off, you know you are never going back!
Ray