▁features ▁that ▁may ▁not ▁be ▁available ▁for ▁every ▁manufact urer ' s ▁device . ▁By ▁testing ▁various ▁properties ▁an ▁AS COM ▁client ▁application ▁can ▁determine ▁what ▁features ▁are ▁available ▁for ▁use . ▁ ▁Properties ▁and ▁Method s ▁are ▁accessible ▁via ▁script ing ▁interfaces , ▁allowing ▁control ▁of ▁devices ▁by ▁standard ▁script ing ▁applications ▁such ▁as ▁VB Script ▁and ▁Javascript . ▁In ▁fact ▁any ▁language ▁that ▁supports ▁access ▁to ▁Microsoft ▁COM ▁objects ▁can ▁interface ▁with ▁AS COM . ▁ ▁An ▁AS COM ▁Platform ▁software ▁package ▁is ▁available ▁for ▁download ▁which ▁install s ▁some ▁common ▁libraries ▁and ▁documentation ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁AS COM ▁drivers ▁for ▁a ▁broad ▁range ▁of ▁equipment . ▁Add itional ▁AS COM ▁drivers ▁for ▁devices ▁not ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁AS COM ▁Platform ▁package ▁can ▁be ▁downloaded ▁and ▁installed ▁separately . ▁ ▁Although ▁AS COM ▁is ▁pre domin antly ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁amateur ▁community , ▁because ▁the ▁standard ▁is ▁freely ▁available ▁it ▁is ▁also ▁used ▁in ▁some ▁professional ▁install ations . ▁ ▁Lic ens ing ▁There ▁are ▁no ▁particular ▁lic ens ing ▁requirements ▁other ▁than ▁that ▁the ▁AS COM ▁logo ▁may ▁only ▁be ▁used ▁if ▁the ▁client ▁application ▁is ▁AS COM ▁compatible , ▁and ▁an ▁AS COM ▁driver ▁must ▁implement ▁all ▁the ▁required ▁properties ▁and ▁methods ▁( but ▁need ▁not ▁implement ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁optional ▁properties ▁and ▁methods ). ▁ ▁End ▁user ▁From ▁an ▁astronom er ' s ▁point ▁of ▁view , ▁it ▁is ▁a ▁simple ▁matter ▁of ▁installing ▁the ▁AS COM ▁platform ▁and ▁suitable ▁client ▁software ; ▁no ▁programming