Why is LabVIEW so expensive?

[edisonj]

I want to use the LabVIEW module for LEGO MINDSTORMS, and I can't do that with the community edition. I got an evaluation copy so I can use that module and install ROBOLAB, but I hate the freaking evaluation watermark that was showing on EVERY single window in ROBOLAB. It drives me nuts just to see the watermark covering up the buttons in the lower-right corner of the window when I'm using ROBOLAB, and now I think I have to buy a license to get out of this situation.

Turns out the licenses are crazy expensive for me. LabVIEW Base, which is the least expensive edition, costs $1,848 for a perpetual license.

Are you kidding me? I only get enough money to pay for what I ask for and only when I do, and I still can't afford LabVIEW? I feel like someone who's in financial hell, but instead of being in poverty, I have to have my mom make financial decisions for me. I feel like I want to rip out someone's wallet and take their money with me, but at the same time I know I can't cause that would land me in lots of trouble.

Also, if I can't afford it, is there a way I could at least remove the evaluation watermark without paying a single penny? Thanks.

[Yamaeda]

I don't see why it shouldn't work with Community Edition?

[GerdW]

Hi edison,

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@edisonj wrote:

LabVIEW Base, which is the least expensive edition, costs $1,848 for a perpetual license.

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Just for comparison: a "Standard perpetual" Matlab license costs 2345€ today.

You even have to pay for the "Home perpetual" (119€) and a "Student" (69€) license…

[rolfk]

Try to do PCB design! Sure you can install KiCAD which is free and open source and works pretty well for many projects but the industry standard is Altium which sells for € 4.425/year for the "cheap" standard edition. That's a subscription so if you stop paying you can't edit your existing designs anymore.

That said, yes they are expensive, the perpetual license is about double the price it used to be before NI forced subscriptions on all users with the beginning of 2022. 100% inflation in just 3 years is indeed quite a lot!

[Jay14159265]

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@edisonj wrote:

I want to use the LabVIEW module for LEGO MINDSTORMS, and I can't do that with the community edition. I got an evaluation copy so I can use that module and install ROBOLAB, but I hate the freaking evaluation watermark that was showing on EVERY single window in ROBOLAB. It drives me nuts just to see the watermark covering up the buttons in the lower-right corner of the window when I'm using ROBOLAB, and now I think I have to buy a license to get out of this situation.

Turns out the licenses are crazy expensive for me. LabVIEW Base, which is the least expensive edition, costs $1,848 for a perpetual license.

Are you kidding me? I only get enough money to pay for what I ask for and only when I do, and I still can't afford LabVIEW? I feel like someone who's in financial hell, but instead of being in poverty, I have to have my mom make financial decisions for me. I feel like I want to rip out someone's wallet and take their money with me, but at the same time I know I can't cause that would land me in lots of trouble.

Also, if I can't afford it, is there a way I could at least remove the evaluation watermark without paying a single penny? Thanks.

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Let this be a huge flashing warning sign for you, stay away from LabVIEW!  Learn c/c++ code if you want to get into robotics. NI (LabVIEW) got out of the robotics business years ago and will not be returning. Instead, go here and never look back: https://www.robotc.net/
there is a free version you can download.  🙂