Anyone using Apple Computer based software for PCB CAD? What's the most popular PCB/SCH software out there these days? How about listing what CAD tools you all are using... that would be interesting. I would still like to see a Benchmark from PCB Design and Manufacturing Magazine... they used to be real good about publishing info like that. Of course if Cadence and Mentor are the only big players it would be more like a shoot out at the 'PC' Corral then... I wonder if Altium has done a 'shoot out' with Pads or Zuken or Intercept... How many players in the PCB design software world are there actually now days? Bill -----Original Message----- From: George Patrick [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2007 12:03 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [DC] CAD tools for PCB layout and Schematic Capture <OPINION> You get what you pay for when it comes to PCB CAD packages. By this I don't mean that you can't do the same things with less expensive tools, but usually you can do the same thing with less hassle with the upper tier tools. And it costs you, both in money and learning curve :) I look at it this way: Mentor and Cadence are the 500 pound gorillas in the mix right now. Now, which scenario do you think it less or more likely: 1) They will be bought out by another vendor and phased out. or 2) They will slowly buy out the smaller guys and phase THEM out? Money talks, and who knows who will be left standing in the end. This is a trend that has been a fact of life in this industry for the year or two I have been in it. Anyone remember Gerber, or ComputerVision, or Calay, or Unigraphics, or Valid??? These are all tools I have used that are history now (although Cadence phased THEIR tool out after they bought Valid.) If I had to guess there will be a slew of Eagle type tools out there, fighting each other for the low-tier market share and ducking from Mentor and Cadence. Middle-tier vendors will be increasingly rare. Or not, my crystal ball got cracked some time ago :) </OPINION> YMMV -- George Patrick Tektronix, Inc. Central Engineering, EDS Applications Support P.O. Box 500, M/S 39-512 Beaverton, OR 97077-0001 * 503-627-5272 (voice) * 503-627-5587 (fax) http://www.tektronix.com http://www.pcb-designer.com "Off-Grid and Proud of it!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- DesignerCouncil Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8d To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil. To temporarily stop/(restart) delivery of DesignerCouncil send: SET DesignerCouncil NOMAIL/(MAIL) Search previous postings at: www.ipc.org > On-Line Resources & Databases > E-mail Archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DesignerCouncil Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8d To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil. To temporarily stop/(restart) delivery of DesignerCouncil send: SET DesignerCouncil NOMAIL/(MAIL) Search previous postings at: www.ipc.org > On-Line Resources & Databases > E-mail Archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------