--- In [email protected], "Rick Collins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "markjames_ipower" > <markjames_ipower@> wrote: > > > > Hello, > > > > I'm new to KiCad, I've downloaded the last version and looked at it's > > features and functionality. My company is at the point where we need > > to decide if we should start using KiCad or buy one of the other > > packages. I've used Orcad and Altium (and minor work with PADS and > > PCAD) I'm not happy with most and really don't like Altium so I'm very > > interested in KiCad. However, I don't have the time to do a project > > with KiCad before my company decides; you have experience with this > > program and it's evolution to this point. Do you think it is at the > > point where we can put our trust in it as a primary design tool? > > > > I'd appreciate your input. > > I haven't used KiCad, so I can't say one way or the other about this > package. But if you are making a critical decision for your company, > and you (or others) feel that you need to choose the tool that you are > going to commit to, then I suggest that you really need to take the > time to make your own informed opinion. > > I say this because of two things you said. You said that you have > tried several other tools and are not happy with them. So clearly you > have some idea of what you want/need from a layout tool and you have > not shared that with us. > > The other is that you say that your company considers this a "primary" > design tool. If this decision is that important, then shouldn't > adequate resources be devoted to making the decision?
This is a small company with few resources, although I feel it's important to take the time to make a good decision the delay will impact a number of projects that would require some EDA package. So I'm trying to triage the decision to mitigate the effects. If I pick a package that doesn't cost a lot of money and doesn't take a lot of time to learn but can't do something I absolutely need it to do then the time I took up to that point is wasted. If I then need to use a different program and there is no way to convert the files I had created to the new software then I need to take more time to re-enter the design. Not only is time==money but additionally the delay pushes back the release of the product which delays the profit we would have seen. I know how to do things right but time/money/productivity all have to be considerations. > > I would suggest that instead of making this decision in haste, you > might want to take your time. In particular, I don't think you can > rely on the opinions of others to determine what the best choice is > for you. Download a couple of packages and test them a bit, even if > only for a day. You can learn a lot about the UI, the style and the > learning curve in just a day of working with a package. In addition > you need to consider the support, even for a "free" layout package. > > All that said, I would recommend that you evaluate FreePCB, assuming > that it meets your most basic needs. For example, FreePCB is a > windows program. If you want to run Linux, you need to run FreePCB > under a Windows interface package of some sort. If you look at > FreePCB, be aware that the most recent releases are alpha versions > because of some significant changes that have been recently made. I > believe ver 1.343 is the most current stable version. The support is > pretty good with a Yahoo group and a Forum on the FreePCB website... > at freepcb.com. My research has provided other free options and I appreciate the suggestion, I have reached this point with KiCad looking like a front runner, if there is a major fly in the ointment then I will have to dive back in and concentrate on another option. > > What ever you decide, let us know. Feedback is always useful. Certainly... > > Rick >
