I am interested in this question too.  I briefly tried to use PCB123
until I got access to a machine with OrCAD PCB Designer (Allegro Lite).


PCB123 didn't seem bad, but I never finished a board with it.

My understanding, though, is that you cannot generate normal Gerber
artwork with free programs.  It generates a proprietary format that only
the fab that makes the software accepts.  They make their money at that
point.  My impression was if you know you're not going to fab more than
a few boards, PCB123 is a good deal.  

I like OrCAD PCB Designer, which include OrCAD Capture and "Allegro
Lite".  I believe my company paid $6,000 for it.  I really like Allegro.

I have heard good things about EagleCAD, which is much cheaper.  I am
curious to hear if Allegro and PADS are really worth their high price
tags.

CJ


-----Original Message-----
From: DesignerCouncil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jack
Olson
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 10:53 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [DC] Freeware Layout Tools

Greetings,

I have an engineer who wants to use something like
ExpressPCB or PCB123 or FreePCB to design
easy-cheesy test boards.

Does anyone have experience with any of these
packages? best libraries? hidden "gotchas"?

I hate to do a long evaluation process before he dives
headfirst into something, so I thought I'd ask ya...

Jack

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