No offense taken and I specifically didn't mention the 8052.com SBC because, based on his requirements, it didn't look like the best option. BUT, I personally disagree with you on the above reasoning.

Built-in ICE is an excellent tool but I think that a beginner that goes directly to an ICE has the potential of seeing it all as "magic" and not understanding exactly what is happening and why. We've seen some pretty amazing questions in the forum from time to time that suggest a very impressive lack of understanding of what they're trying to do; I won't even go into some of the questions I get via email.

I think working with some classic SBC or board forces the beginner to really get a grasp on what's going on whereas going directly to an ICE with a slick Windows interface runs the risk of blurring the lines between the microcontroller, the ICE itself, and Windows. This may seem silly but, based on the questions I've received over the years, I can assure you it's not.

Of course this is just my opinion, but I offer in defense of the position that SBCs still serve a very useful purpose even in the age of ICE.

Regards,
Craig Steiner