Homebrew PCBs

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Stefan Trethan <stefan_trethan@...> wrote:
>
> If it doesn't, $50 (or less?) gives you a XP pro license these days,
> and the option to run loads and loads of other free software.
> 
> While Linux is just fine for simple stuff such as Internet or Office I
> just don't have the time to bother with it for "real" work. Too many
> of the tools (some of them proprietory and not replaceable) only get
> made for Windows. I want to use those tools so I have to provide the
> required environment.

Interesting ... my experience is mostly the exact opposite -- to get access to the kind of free programs that I really want to use, I find Linux to be a great advantage. I use Linux as my primary platform for everything I do, including my real job. I do (unfortunately) have to do some things in Windows because that is the standard platform used where I work, but regularly I find myself turning to Linux to solve something that I can do easily there, but would have to fish around quite a while to do under Windows -- or would have to pay way more than I want to pay to get proprietary software.

The ONE area where Linux/FOSS is "not quite there yet" for me is in DTP -- there is an okay program (Scribus) that continues to improve, but it does not yet do everything I need.