Programs to create interactions

Because we all know that design is about knowing software:

Processing

It’s coding. No visual feedback. You can use microcontrollers. Can make Java applets for web. Free.

Flash

It’s crazy.

Blender

No coding required. Visual feedback. Can use microcontrollers. Web plug-in discontinued. Weird interface. Full 3-D. Free.

Expression Blend

Like Flash for humans. Nice interface. Some XML and some C# coding required in order to create

good working prototypes. Beta version is free. You can use microcontrollers with C#. Only for Windows.

Pure Data & Max/MSP

Visual coding. It’s like coding, but without syntax. Max/MSP mostly for audio. Pure Data for everything. Pure Data is free. Microcontrollers; yes with both. Pure Data has now it’s own microcontroller, which you can control right from PD.

VVVV

Visual coding like Pure Data, except a lot better interface. Yes to microcontrollers.