[time-nuts] OT: Eagle PC CAD now Autodesk, $500/year

[Chris Albertson]

Right on their main page is a FREE download link.  Eagle has always
had a free version and a paid version.   The free version is limited
to 2 schematic sheets, 2 signal layers, and 80 cm2 board area.  I
think this might be very slightly better then in the past.

The good news for users is that now there is a billion dollar company
behind Eagle.   If they run Eagle anything like they do Fusion 360, be
prepared for a continuous flood of updates and new features.

One of the new features they are talking about is integration from
Fusion so you can make the entire product in one CAD system,  At the
holy level this might be a PCB with a custom 3D printed housing so the
buttons on the PCB match up with holes on the housing.  Fusion is
parametric so when an outline changes on a part on a PCB the housing
hole can move if its location was defined as "centered over that
part".

Eagle has seen very slow progress in the past, I expect the feature
set and ease of use and training materials to take off now that a big
company is tossing lots of money at it.



On Thu, Jan 19, 2017 at 7:52 PM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist
<richard at karlquist.com> wrote:
> Off topic, but probably a lot of disgrunted Eagle users on this list.
> Its official, you will now have to pay $500 per year for a
> professional license from Autodesk.  The spin meistering of the
> announcement would make George Orwell proud.  I don't see any way they
> can keep me from just using the license I currently own, at least
> on the OS's it supports.  (Parenthetically, like many users, I
> am also digging in my heels in terms of staying at Windows 7).
>
> Still, the question arises:  are there any affordable alternatives?
> Don't have to be entirely free.  I am looking for any trends out
> there as to what tool will attract a critical mass of users in
> the future.  There is strength in numbers.
>
> Comments?
>
> Rick N6RK
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-- 

Chris Albertson
Redondo Beach, California