[sdiy] Eagle for PCB Layout

Mon Jul 2 05:05:20 CEST 2018

Once again I did "reply" instead of "reply all" - here's a post I
accidentally sent to only one of the list members intending it to be
for all:

Windows 10, or one of its latest "updates" changed the default
close-window hotkey from Alt-F4 to Ctrl-W. The only program I have
that uses Ctrl-W is Cool Edit (the 2-track edition, registered many
years ago just before Adobe bought it, and I still use it), and I've
always found that annoying. I googled and saw some registry-edit
workaround to fix it back, but it was easier to download AutoHotKey to
generate a Ctrl-W when I press the Alt-F4 that I'm used to.

I've been following these PCB layout discussions with interest (this
is my intro to a rant). Regrettably, the "easiest" layout program to
use is from expresspcb.com (apparently the "classic" - there's a new
fancier PCB program on the site), but it's a proprietary format tied
to their PCB manufacturing service that's ridiculously expensive. The
price wasn't quite so horrible perhaps 20 years ago when I first used
it, but the prices of PCB sources using standard files has continued
to drop to amazingly low levels.

I've been quite frustrated trying to learn Eagle, KiCad and such. Why
can't a "real" PCB program be as easy to use as expresspcb?

Autocad had a learning curve when I learned it decades ago, but it
wasn't as bad as I heard or expected, and it even "makes sense" in
retrospect. I still use an Autocad-alike CAD program. The schematic
interface for LTSpice is horrible (!), but over the years I've gotten
used to it. Perhaps I was spoiled by Pspice schematic entry I first
used in the 1990s.

There seems to be good interface "standards" in text editing/word
processing, but not so in various CAD programs.

On Sun, Jul 1, 2018 at 6:55 PM, Chris Juried <cjuried at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I realized I did not give OrCad a test-run. I am currently download a trial
> version and was wondering if the group can notate some pros and cons. So far
> Eagle is my goto.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Chris Juried
> Audio Engineering Society (AES) Member
> InfoComm-Recognized AV Technologist
> http://www.JuriedEngineering.com
> http://www.TubeEquipment.com
> http://www.HistoryOfRecording.com
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjuried
> Email: CJuried at yahoo.com
> Voice: (954) 478-4355
>
>
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>
> On Sunday, July 1, 2018, 4:11:15 PM EDT, Jay Schwichtenberg
> <jschwich53 at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> I know I don't like the subscription software business model either. My main
> hobby is photography and that's the only way to get Photoshop and Lightroom
> now.
>
> At least the way I see it (and I'm a software engineer) the software
> business was not setup to really succeed over time. The solution to that is
> software by subscription.
>
> Basically a software business needs to do one of several things to survive
> over time.
>
> It needs to add features to the software and obsolete old software so you
> pay money to update to the new versions. But as time goes on most of the
> bugs are fixed and the software gets to the point there the features being
> added are something 2% of the customers would use. So the software stagnates
> and doesn't bring any more money into the company.
>
> Next is they have to come up with new software and increase their product
> line and generate new revenue from that. But that is not necessarily
> something easy. Sort of like the one hit wonder in the music industry. The
> first product is great but it took you 10 years to get it out the door and
> then you need to do the next one in a year or two to get the revenue up
> again.
>
> Last is the software subscription plan. Here the company will get revenue
> over a period of time and be able to keep fingers typing.
>
> Jay S.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Synth-diy [mailto:synth-diy-bounces at synth-diy.org] On Behalf Of Richie
> Burnett
> Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2018 6:04 AM
> To: jarno.verhoeven; SYNTH DIY
> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Eagle for PCB Layout
>
> Same here.  I've used Eagle for years, on may commercial projects and hobby
> projects, and think it's pitched just right in terms of the complexity vs
> ease of use trade-off.  But Autodesk have really messed up a good thing with
>
> the introduction of the subscription model.  Maybe i'm showing my age, but I
>
> strongly believe that if you buy some software you should own it for life.
> You don't pay again and again for the luxury of being able to continue using
>
> it (>.<)
>
> -Richie,
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: jarno.verhoeven
> Sent: Sunday, July 01, 2018 1:43 PM
> To: SYNTH DIY
> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Eagle for PCB Layout
>
>
> "I've got an Eagle 7.5.0 licence for 160x100mm board size, and intend to
> never ever upgrade to the subscription model."
>
> +1.
> Bought my license in december, during the holiday period, when it was
> activated in january, cadsoft was bought by autodesk, and they were going to
>
> switch to subscriptions. Cursed a little when I heard the news, but then, I
> hate subscriptions and 7.5 is fine, I do not encounter any bugs, all
> functionality is there.
>
>
>
> Verzonden vanaf mijn Samsung Galaxy-smartphone.
>
> Virus-free. www.avg.com
>
>
>
>
>
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