[sdiy] What's your fav PCB package?

[Robin Whittle]

Paul Maddox wrote:

> Eagle is nice, but the hole/size limit drive me loopy!

Can you explain what this problem is?

I think that good integration between the Schematic and PCB programs is
important.  I am not opposed to paying good money for a living, robust,
program which is widely respected - and I fancy a bit of rigorous,
detailed, thoughtful German engineering in a PCB program!


I am using old Protel DOS Autotrax and Schematic, which I purchased in
1989.  I disassembled the video driver and now have it working on a
modern Trident video card (actually, one integrated into a PIII
motherboard) with my own improved cursors.  I also fixed a bug in the
snap to grid code.  There are bugs in Schematic which I am adept at
avoiding.  I don't recommend this to anyone - but I have my library and
it is working OK for me for through-hole PCBs.  DOS Autotrax can only
rotate components in 90 degree increments.

Thanks Tom for the link to the Open Source EDA page:

  http://www.opencollector.org

There's an open-source PCB package there:

  http://www.freepcb.com

but it is only for Windows and is written in Visual C++.  If I was going
to take an interest in an open source program I would want it to be in
standard C++ and run under Linux at at least.


 - Robin   http://www.firstpr.com.au/rwi/dfish/