AVR line got a lot of traction through their aggressive push via educational institutions, much like ST has been doing with their STM32 ARMs or Microsoft has been doing with its products.
Wide network of peers with hands-on experience, easy access to tools (cheap devboards) can be a huge factor for hobbyists.
Wide network of peers with hands-on experience, easy access to tools (cheap devboards) can be a huge factor for hobbyists.