Free Schematic Drawing Programs?

[Magnus Danielson]

>>>>> "jb" == jorgen bergfors <jorgen.bergfors at idg.se> writes:

 jb> Please tell me what a dedicated schematics drawing program does, that you can't 
 jb> do in a generic drawing program. I use Corel Draw and I produce very 
 jb> professional looking schemos with it.

Well, there are many things that becomes far more streamlined with a
electronic design process than a Corel Dravel or similar (this even
include AutoCad). For instance, there are more finished libraries of
component symbols. You can generate netlist files which plug into many
layout programs. You may get a Spice netlist. Backannotation becomes
simpler. These are just some out of the top of my head, there is many
more good reasons.

If you worked with a even halfgood set of tools you will apprechiate
the things that it will do for you. I have been waiting for something
similar in years, since I gave up a broken OS platform and found
myself hacking raw Postscript to get some simple schematics out (ASM-1
schematics is down this way). Let's just say that it is a pain in the
ass and the only reason I can do it is since it was such a challange
to have done it.

So please test GEDA and similar tools.

Cheers,
Magnus