Check out Eagle at
http://www.cadsoft.de . The freebie version is limited to
something like 4" x 4" (or thereabouts) and 2 layers, but is very fully
capable otherwise. The standard file format that most PCB houses use is
called "Gerber". Google will give you lots on that. Some PCB houses will
take Eagle (and other app formats) directly.
Cheers,
-Neil.
On Tuesday 06 May 2003 23:31, Leon Heller scribbled:
> From: "MM" <T_dragger44@...>
>
> >Reply-To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
> >To: <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com>
> >Subject: [Homebrew_PCBs] PCB design software
> >Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 21:50:44 -0500
> >
> >Hello to all... New member here and not real knowledgeable regarding PCBs
> >but am hoping to learn. If you guys can stand a few "neophyte" type
> >questions for a while, I would be most appreciative.
> >
> >I joined because I am wanting to learn how to design and build a few
> >simple, small boards; initially just two-sided, plated hole boards. Not
> >sure I really want to actually make them at first, may want to just send
> >the design off to a prototyping house to have them made in very small
> >quantities.
> >
> >Can anyone recommend a good, but fairly inexpensive, "starter" software
> >program that I could learn to use and would produce the file types
> >(whatever they are) that are compatible for PCB manufacture? Later on I
> >may need to upgrade to something more sophisticated, but for now, I'd like
> >to keep it pretty simple and not too expensive.
>
> Easy-PC is very good, I used it for years:
>
> http://www.numberone.com
>
> I now use Pulsonix which is a professional product from the same company:
>
> http://www.pulsoniox.com