I like how it allows you to connect to multiple devices at once (even if they don't have the same protocol). It's easy to setup, and runs on almost any platform. There are some quirks that aren't really explained in the manual, but are easily found after a bit of trial and error. You can also use minicom as a virtual terminal for your operating system. The main advantage is that you can control multiple devices using just one application. Also, it works with everything from Windows 95 all the way up to OS X 10.10 Yosemite.