On the surface LabView and Microsoft Robotics Studio appear to me to have a very similar programming paradigm and environment.
Is it fair to compare these two products, or are they in different leagues?
I am hoping someone who has used both products will help compare and contrast them so that I can understand when it is appropriate to use one or the other.
Disclaimer. I have not worked with Microsoft Robotics Studio. I only looked at the fact sheet and some of the documentation. However I have a great deal of knowledge of LabVIEW. So this answer might be (and probably is) biased.
History wise LabVIEW has been around for 20 years and has the following features which MSRS doesn't have (from the first glance).
The VPL (MSRS) looks very clumsy compared to LabVIEW code, it looks like MS doesn't really makes the switch to visual programming (or is not allowed by patents from third parties).
Price wise, MSRS is much friendlier with a free 'hobbiest' version, while a LabVIEW base begins around $1300.
Additional MSRS does not run on the robot, it only controls the robot via the robot API (bluetooth or wired), while LabVIEW (and more specific NXT-G) run on the processer inside the robot stand-alone.
What might be important is the LabVIEW is the main software product of NI while MSRS is one of many products of MS, so support and development should have a higher priority.
Ton
I think Ton hit it on the nose, but there a couple key points I disagree on.
Independent of price LabView is a far superior system for automation and embedded programming. However, there is the catch that without a license LabView will break the bank a few times over. Depending on your targeted platform, you could easily spend several thousand dollars for a development environment.
Both systems do have a compiler. For a while LabView was restricted to only a few embedded environments, but with the addition of an ARM compiler there are now a huge number of supported hardware systems. LabView is compiled in real time as you program, MSDS is compiled on request (as far as I know).
LabView is absolutely targeted to robotics. NI has put forth a lot of tools for robotic applications and many of the ideas taken from automation can be dropped right into a robotics setting. As an interesting note, the FIRST Robotics Competition exclusively uses NI hardware (the cRIO) and LabView is a popular programming option.
RDS's visual programming and LabView's visual programing aren't really comparable. They don't operate by the same paradigms.
RDS does create machine code and the code can run on a robot without intervention.
If you are looking to buy a complete robotics system for development with LabView check out this page: http://www.ni.com/robotics/how_to_buy.htm
Just as a bit of background, I am a certified LabView developer and have used RDS with the lego NXT system as an instructor.