recommendations?
Have a look at ExpressPCB. They have a free schematic cad program and a free
board layout program. You order boards directy from them, on line, and their
prices are not bad. It's great for small boards and small runs.
Bob
Folks sure do throw arond that word *free* a lot.
This is properly called Hobbyist Demoware. (I almost said hobbiest.)
No *functions* have been crippled,
but the free version does 80mm x 100mm 2-layer boards maximum.
For many folks that is enough.
A biz (legally) needs to plunk down $50 to use it to make products.
To get 160mm x 100mm & 4 layers is $200 (layout module);
the demo Schematic Editor will still work (sorta
--batch files to swap registered/demoware password).
Full usability is $400 per module;
licence only what you need or go hog-wild.
formatting link
...but yeah. It's good stuff.
At this point someone usually mentions
the not-like-usual-Windoze-apps interface
(which takes some getting used to).
OTOH, gEDA/PCB is/are gratis (and libre) and will run under CYGWIN
(or natively under Linux--again, free):
I am looking for something basic to use at home for small projects. I have
downloaded a few examples, PCB Wizard I like, Eagle Layout Editor seems too
much. Has anyone used the PCB Wizard product? Any other recommendations?
I am also using the student version of CircuitMaker, which is GREAT! I
understand at one time it had with it a product "TraxMaker"? but sure can't
find it in the version I have?
Thanks!
Jim Douglas
Eagle is by far the best package out there. The rest is mostly junk which
fools people into thinking it's easy to use just because it has a
Windows-like interface. Eagle does require some learning but if you read the
tutorial manual you will be fine and in the end you will be much more
productive with the Eagle interface.
I took a look at WinQcad recently and thought it had some
possibilities. However, no matter how good it is, I've ruled it out due
to my recent experience with asking a question on their bulletin board.
My post to their board was removed by the program author because he
didn't understand the question, there were errors with the grammar, and
the message was posted to the wrong category. No attempt was made to
ask for clarification, and no users could have possibly responded since
none where allowed to see the message. The author mentioned through
email that if he doesn't understand what a message is asking that none
of the users would either. I don't mean to flame WinQcad...I just
wanted to mention my one and only experience when asking for input.
Your mileage may vary.
WayneL wrote:
group I
recommendations?
GREAT! I
I hate that stuff, I have sent messages to some things like that and they
never show up. I asked and they said "Most users would not be interested in
that!", I said bullshi%%!!
Yeah, the experience is still bugging me. Granted, the bulletin borad
does belong to the author, but the bulletin board link does say
"discuss the PCB software with other WinQcad users". That's kinda hard
to do when the arrogant SOB author removes posts.
Mark
Jim Douglas wrote:
interested in
Yahoo
message
projects.
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