There is a need for general purpose DSMC codes that can be readily applied by non‐specialist users to a wide variety of practical problems. The specifications that should be met by such programs are outlined and the currently available programs are noted. The DS2V program for two‐dimensional and axially‐symmetric flows and the DS3V program for three‐dimensional flows are described in some detail. The “V” in the program names is to indicate the interactive visual characteristic of the programs. Both programs run in a time‐accurate mode and the flow sampling may be of the unsteady flow or, if a steady flow is established at sufficiently large times, of the steady flow. The gas model includes internal degrees of freedom, gas phase chemical reactions, and surface reactions. The initial state may include flow discontinuities that permit the study of shock tube flows and free shear flows. Solid surfaces may move in their own plane, a typical application being a rotating body in an axially‐symmetric flow. Alternatively, a surface may move in a normal direction to generate a moving shock wave for diffraction studies. Flow boundaries may be arbitrary combinations of solid surfaces and specified flows. Other options include periodic boundaries and constant pressure boundaries that have been developed especially for MEMS applications.