The whole problem really is that PROTEL 99SE sucks. I don't mean to be vicious
about it, but it just doesn't work reliably. I've used it on several platforms
on more that one computer and it just doesn't do what the manufacturer tells
you it will. Sure it looks good, but it simply isn't. $5000-7000 is just too
much money for ANYTHING that doesn't work.
Yes, it has lots of bells and whistles. It has a PSPICE simulator, 3-D
rendering, and PLD programming. But the PSPICE is awful, the PLD only seems to
support a few chips, and what is the point of 3-D rendering? I spend at least
half an hour every day working on things that PROTEL screws up. The only good
thing I can say about it is that it recovers well from catastrophic failure.
Michael Badillo
QTI
From: "Seim, Thomas A" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: 2006/03/21 Tue PM 12:49:16 EST
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED],
Protel EDA Discussion List <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [PEDA] Missing Internal Pads on ODB
Brad Velander wrote:
> Sure their software is worth more than it used to be but not more
than > doubling the price in the past 4 - 5 years.
> True, in fact, I'd say that in some ways there is justification for
pricing it less. Hardware is
> subject to incremental improvement in functionality and decreases in
price over time. Every other
> technology good follows this pricing trend - why doesn't software?
It's not as if each new release
> must be a complete rewrite from scratch - much existing code is
modified and augmented. What is the
> justification for perpetually increasing the price of software?
Could it just be greed?
I simply can't stand to listen to these preposterous accusations
anymore.
When PCs first came out in the 80s the typical compiler price was $395.
Since then the inflation adjusted price would be about $1000. I can go
out and buy a compile (I can also download gcc for free!) for under
$100, and it is a MUCH BETTER compiler than the 1980 version. The first
cad package I bought was EE Designer and it cost $995 in 1985, so it
would be about $2000 today. And it was virtually unusable (12.5 mil
grid!). My first PC (a 286) cost me about $5000 when I included a color
monitor, controller and additional memory (a WHOLE 1.5 MB!). That is
what my current workstation (dual 3.4GHz Xeon w/3GB ram) cost.
People ignore the explosion of features and capabilities that are put
into this software. I guess you expect to get that for free. Hello, it
is not realistic to get something for free. Some will say they don't
want those features. Then stick with the old stuff or don't buy it in
the first place. There is even a market for old cad software, so if you
don't have it you can buy it from someone else. To fairly compare prices
you have to compare capabilities as well. I have personally paid people
to tape pc layouts; it took WEEKS! Now I can generate Gerbers with a
touch of a button. This is called "increased productivity", and it is
why we enjoy the standard of living that we have in this country, Canada
and western Europe.
I would venture to guess that many of you belly achers on this forum
haven't switched to other cad software because you haven't been able to
find something with a better price/performance ratio. If you have I
would like to hear about it!
Tom Seim
Senior Engineer IV
Instrument Development Laboratory
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
PNNL
509-376-2533
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