Re: New query for low cost PCB CAD that *works*

Andy Peters wrote:

Robert Baer wrote:

Do not mention Eagle, i wasted a lot of time on POTS to download the
demo version, and again, it was totally useless.
  And i was unable to figure out what files wer needed to make the DOS
Orcad even run - so that is out.
  PCB123 is out, because the manual is worse than obscene - unreadable
(Acrobat sez it is corrupted and cannot fix it).
  So what is left?



This is probably not at all helpful, but I haven't found an inexpensive
PCB layout tool that's worth the money you pay for it.

I found Eagle to be very frustrating, but I suppose that's because the
user interface is completely kooky.

And, I guess my point is that once you're used to better tools --
Protel DXP or PCAD, to name two, and Mentor if you've got VC funding --
you find that the cheap tools don't do what you want them to do, or if
they do, then not as efficiently as more-expensive tools.

-a

Actually, i liked Ivex WinBoard - took me only a few hours to make it useful for a small project, and useage grew from there.
Finally bought a pin upgrade, and then another.
Made my own library to add parts not covered; liked the library compiler/decompiler.
But it does not do SMT on both sides.
However, i do like that one does not have to have a schematic.
.