Stuart Brorson wrote:
I've seen an uptick in interesting industry news and industry blog
postings related to zero-cost as well as open-source EDA software
recently [1]. Here are two examples:
http://www.eeproductcenter.com/embedded/brief/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212902950
What's your take on this? Why does Zuken give the tool away for free? I
mean, that's almost like Costco swinging open the roll gate and allowing
everyone to take what they need and not pay a penny. They would never do
that.
I can think of at least two reasons:
* It's a time limited give-away, so the idea is to hook the users on
CADSTAR. Then, when they realize what a useful tool it is (or they
need a second seat), they'll have to buy it.
It is not time-limited but you must provide the MAC address. Which
probably means that if you change PCs after March-31 the game could be
over. Also not feasible for folks who must use different PCs because
they travel.
* It's a sign of desperation. The EDA marketplace is overcrowded,
and the only way to get any marketshare is to give your product away.
I only know of one other company that gives away their schematic editor,
while you have to pay for layout and autorouter.
Um Eagle is free for limited sizes of designs. The freeware
version has hooked zillions of users, many of whom go on to purchase
the full edition.
True, but the license clearly says that for-profit use is not permitted,
only hobby and test driving.
Multisim allows you to download it free for 30 days.
Before Cadence, before Orcad, there was Microsim PSpice. And they
gave away a studentware edition of that program. Copies of that
program still circulate on the internet.
Therefore, give-away EDA software is pretty common.
I find it interesting that there are maybe three or four alternatives
for word processing on PeeCees [1] (MS Word, OO Writer/Star Office,
AbiWord, whatever is bundled with Lotus) -- and only one is used by
more than 80% of users -- whereas there are at least a dozen schematic
editors. And word processing represents a gigantic marketplace,
whereas schematic capture programs target a tiny market slice.
Maybe it has to do with the so-called network effect. Otherwise, it
makes no sense to me. But the surfit of EDA software out there
implies hypercompetition, and that means that economics drives the
prices of the programs to zero.
Stuart
[1] OK, I expect to get corrected by zealots of this or that obscure
word processing program. Please go ahead and tell me I am wrong. But
the main point is that there is far more choice amongst commercial
vendors for schematic capture programs than there is for word
processing programs -- but the word processing market must be at least
1000x larger.
Also very much lower in cost. If you are frugal (and don't want to be
plastered with the newest round of bugs and memory leaks ...) you can
find stuff like MS-Office for around $100 if you settle for an older
release. The cost for that isn't really a large factor anymore. Heck, I
even have one unused license right now because an older PC went kaputt.
I know guys who have half a dozen XP licenses sitting on a shelf, just
to be prepared.
This even extends to CAD. I needed a mechanical CAD, only to be able to
read and edit AutoCAD files to improve client designs for EMC. So, got
an edition two releases back, ten (!) bucks. Has 3D and all the bells
and whistles I'll never ever need. Went to the mfg site for the
activation key, held my breath, 30 seconds later they sent it via email.
Amazing.
--
Regards, Joerg
http://www.analogconsultants.com/
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