I have encountered multiple circumstances wherein some test system, data collection monitor, or calibrator fixture was controlled via LabView. In all cases the owner/user of these systems is typically discouraged at the outlook for long term support for their LabView system. I have seen that the local area here has a surprisingly small number of qualified professionals that can provide contract programming support for these LabView systems. On top of that, the contract fee that an available professional commands is so high that the owner/user of the LabView software often chokes at the cost of support. It has been also my experience that the integrity of these supposed LabView professionals is often questionable.

For these reasons I routinely recommend that customers and clients not go down the LabView road. I have also recommended that several companies in this area move away from LabView and use VC++ or VB6 instead. Sometimes it can seem that LabView is the only choice because a well known data acquisition hardware vendor tries to lock you to LabView but I have seen that there is always an alternative hardware approach that is just as good and permits the use of say VB6.

From a company perspective the use of VB6 will generally have a lower overall cost. From the view of the consultant use of VB6 is way way easier and you become a hero when the company sees how much money they save over a previous LabView project that should now be sitting in the back room.

Michael Karas