I will email him directly about the issues that I found. I would have sent him feedback, but his website has no email contact for anything except jobs and a wish list. There was no email link for support that I could find...
>--- Original Message --- >From: Jaap van Ganswijk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: Multiple recipients of list CHIPDIR-L <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: 9/24/02 7:33:17 PM > >FYI, > >I emailed Ilija about some of the issues raised >here about his AutoTRAX EDA software and here is >his reply (of which I have his express permission >to forward to others). > >I edited it slightly to make it more readable. > >Greetings, >Jaap > > >>Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 10:07:00 +0100 >>From: "Ilija Kovacevic" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: "Jaap van Ganswijk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Subject: RE: Download completely FREE AutoTRAX EDA PCB design suite (1.07) >> >>>I have forwarded your message on my Chipdir >>>mailing list and someone tried your software >>>and came across a problem and reported it on >>>the mailing list and assumed he might have >>>to buy the $195 version to get things fixed. >>> >>>I checked out your site and noticed that there is >>>indeed a $195 version. But your email below clearly >>>states that anyone can download the latest version >>>and that there are no other versions. The downloaded >>>version is the 'complete' version it is suggested. >>>Nowhere on your site I can find, what the difference >>>between the two versions is. Or is it just support >>>and perhaps a printed manual? I think you should >>>state this more clearly. >>> >>>I'm just trying to clarify the issue. I'm not >>>against people earning money from their hard work. >>>I am interested in your business model. >>> >>>My Chipdir sites have about 125,000 unique >>>visitors per month. I think we emailed before. >> >>To get the problem fixed, please email me with the problem and I will fix it >>for free. I am >>working through the mailing list, and most have been fixed. >> >>There is only 1 version of the software and it is totally free, no time >>bombs. There is no >>educational, pro, gold, deluxe version. I detest the way other EDA software >>companies >>sell software at $45+ but at the end of the day if costs $1000+. I want to >>be honest with customers. >>Support is free, even for free software. The printed manual comes from a >>Canadian on-line company. >>Normally, people get royalties, but I have set the price at $19.95 and I get >>about 50c. I see no >>profit in selling manuals. (By the way, the manuals are quite nice.) >> >>After 31st. September, 2002 it will no longer be free. What people get in >>for >>$195 is all NEW versions in the next 12 months for free. >> >>I want AutoTRAX EDA (my baby!) to be the best PCB package on the market at >>the >>best price. It is funded by software I develop for others. However, I need >>to pay >>someone to develop parts library and work as an in-house tester. I have a >>list of 725 people >>who want me to send them CDROMs, they are all over the world. That is not >>cheap. >> >>Current recorded downloads of AutoTRAX EDA = 4056 in 4 months. >>There are additional unrecorded downloads of about 300. >>I had 295 yesterday and 95 today (9-47am). >> >>I have been disappointed at the lack of feedback from the news-group people >>who have downloaded >>the software. I am very approachable and reply personally to ALL email. >> >>Here's a story for you. Protel, now Altium, dropped autotrax (there DOS >>program) back in the early >>90s. They never trade-marked the name. Back in the late 80s, I started >>developing a dos program also >>called AutoTRAX a blend of AutoCAD/PCB Tracks. However, I dropped the >>electronic side of it as the >>market was being swamped with products. >>3 years ago, I looked again at the market and was surprised to see the price >>of the software. >>The good stuff was around $3000+. Why is this, all other software markets >>have seen massive price >>reductions. The I see, Orcad buys Microsim, Cadence buy Orcad etc. Classic >>market trends that >>keep price high. Time for a new product. >> >>Back to Protel, well 3 years ago I registered AutoTRAX in California. About >>6 months ago, I discovered >>some references to Protel/autotrax on the WWW. >>I send all the directors of Altium , including Nick Martin, an email telling >>them I intended to market >>AutoTRAX EDA in Australia. A month later, I get an letter from a lawyer in >>California (Russo & Hale) stating >>that Altium does NOT market a product called autotrax. Yet surprise, >>surprise 2 months ago their DOS program >>is now available for download from their website. I emailed Altium and got >>the following reply on September, 11th. >> >> This is the latest version of Autotrax that was released (v1.61ND). >> It has only been available for the last 2 months or so. >> Best regards, >> Steve Passmore >> Senior Sales Consultant >> >>If you download the Altium autotrax, the latest date on any of the extracted >>files is 21st. July, 1992. >>Ummm! >> >>You may forward this email to others. >> >>Regards >>Ilija Kovacevic > >-- >Author: Jaap van Ganswijk > INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com >San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services >--------------------------------------------------------------------- >To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message >to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in >the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB CHIPDIR-L >(or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may >also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). > -- Author: Steve Thatcher INET: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services --------------------------------------------------------------------- To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB CHIPDIR-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing).
