Homebrew PCBs

Hello Mukundan,

On Mon, Oct 28, 2013 at 4:15 AM, Mukundan Parthasarathy
<mukundanparthasarathy@...> wrote:
>
> looking for a free E-CAD tool

Ha, you're gonna get a lot of opinions :-)

> I need a tool that has the shortest learning curve,
> but not at the expense of features. Could someone please
> advise me? I have sort of narrowed down on DesignSpark and KiCad.

Many people say nice things about DesignSpark.  It's free-as-in-beer,
but not free-as-in-open-source.

I know many people who use Fritzing (http://www.fritzing.org), which
is open source.  It's probably got the smallest learning curve, but is
a bit unconventional in some ways.  I've seen some very elaborate PCBs
done with Fritzing:

  http://gerblook.org/pcb/VdNG6UXg9Rp7VUdVcrtoRb

I use and like KiCad, which is also open-source.  Lately many people
have been switching from Eagle to KiCad.

  http://hairy.geek.nz/2013/10/switching-to-kicad/

Because KiCad's files are text-based, you can even generate boards
with programs.

  http://gerblook.org/pcb/GsQbZAsS9YVuauHR3unxTL
  http://www.goodluckbuy.com/45-dgree-adaptor-with-12-esc-100a-connection-board-for-multicopter.html

All the edge, hole and silk information was generated by a Python program:

  https://github.com/CapnKernel/4cpower

KiCad had a major rewrite this year, and one of the things it now has
is inbuilt Python scripting.  People are starting to do some cool
things with that.  Development is fast-moving, and there are things
just around the corner like push-and-shove routing.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzro0Jc70xI

Perhaps the biggest problem with KiCad (my opinion, and what beginners
have told me) is that KiCad's stock schematic symbol and footprints
library is just terrible.  KiCad users generally build up their own
library of symbols and footprints.  Fortunately, defining new symbols
and footprints is quick and fun.

Obviously I'm biased!  I look forward to what others say.

Mitch.
Hackvana PCBs
http://tinyurl.com/hvpcbfaq