On 6/22/2012 11:09 AM, Dwayne Reid wrote:
> The first year's software maintenance cost of $1500 per seat is
> included in that cost.  However, the on-going cost is that yearly
> cost of $1500 per seat.

We have gone through the last 15 years with Protel/Altium.  The latest=20
Altium version we have uses a server based authentication which allows=20
one user at a time.  Anyone can install the software on their computer=20
but only one at a time can run it.  If the server is offline, no one can=20
run it.  You install the server software at your site, btw.  It's not=20
some cloud solution.


>
> 1) How do Altium users like the software?

All cad software has quirks; Altium is no difference.  You get used to=20
one package or another. I prefer Orcad for schematic capture but=20
occasionally use Protel for this.
> 2) Is it reasonably easy to use (after the initial learning curve)?
Reasonably.
> 3) Is it stable?
The name changes through the years, IMHO, were simply to make users=20
think they were getting something new.  Altium is Protel with bug=20
fixes.  We don't pay the maintenance extortion.  It works well enough.=20
Crashes are less with Altium than Protel but certainly not non-existant.
> 4) Do you have to constantly check the output files (Gerber) to
> ensure that they are accurate?

Haven't had any problems yet.
> 5) How is the documentation?
IMHO, it sucks.

Based on your experience with Cadint, I would stick with that.  We never=20
benefit from stock footprints; each company has their own idiosyncrasies=20
on this topic and will likely want their own.  That said, when I need a=20
new footprint, I choose one that is similar and then modify it.

--=20
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
.