On Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:54:36 -0500, "V G" said:

> I'm sure I could get accustomed to Eagle if I spent the time. But that's
> the
> thing. I don't want to waste time learning it when there's other software
> that's far easier to learn (for me anyway, I can't speak for anyone
> else).
>=20
> For some reason, everybody seems to use and provide libraries for Eagle,
> so
> I really wanted to get used to it. But after this experience, I'm never
> going to touch it again.

To me, Eagle is like Windows, it's everywhere and you should know how to
marginally use it and have it installed on a machine somewhere in case
you need it.

That way you aren't scared of it, and if there's a cool project on the
web with Eagle files, you can grab it, modify any bits of it to suit,
and use it.

The problem with Eagle is that it wants to be something you use eight
hours a day, every day. So spending a few hundred/thousand hours getting
it the way you like it, making scripts for it, learning all the
workarounds, the limitations of the autorouter, they are minimal since
at some point you will become productive with it. At that point your
schematics may actually not have half the parts with the values printed
at right angles to the page, like I see so much in Eagle-drawn
schematics.

To me, spending an extra $15000 for a program that suits me better was
worth it. But I probably still have Eagle("free beer" edition) installed
on a machine somewhere in case I need it, and I can fumble my way around
in it.

Times have changed, too. Eagle came along at the right time, with the
right price, and marketed smart. So they have some momentum. If they
tried the same thing today, I doubt it would work. Kicad is free, and
good enough.

Cheerful regards,

Bob

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