[time-nuts] OT: Eagle PC CAD now Autodesk, $500/year

[djl]

bought any prescription drugs lately?

On 2017-01-20 09:58, Bob Camp wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I completely agree that their spin at acquisition and the reality of
> what just came out
> is completely amazing. They said they would never do this and that.
> What they are doing
> is exactly what they said they would not do.
> 
> It’s a rare board that I do in < 4 layers. It’s also quite normal to
> have designs above
> 160 CM^2. If I have 4 layers, there *will* be signals on all those
> layers. That puts me
> squarely in the $500 / yr subscription. A month ago that put me in a
> perpetual license
> that I paid < 1/2 that for.
> 
> It is not just that the cost has gone up. A number of license
> “categories” have vanished.
> The free version is still there, and just as useless for what I do.
> That’s about the only
> one that is rational at this point.
> 
> So yes, I’m at least as bothered by this as anybody else. What I would
> suggest is to
> take a deep breath, sit back, yell at them a bit (along with everybody
> else that has
> a license) and see what they do. It is abundantly clear that they have
> a major disconnect
> between this and what they have said. There is a lot of explaining for
> them to do. Part of that
> could easily be another couple license categories. I’m certainly in no
> hurry to switch
> packages.
> 
> Right now Fusion 360 is something I use a LOT  more than I use Eagle.
> This week (month .. year)
> it is free for me to do that. Why is Fusion free to a basement guy and
> Eagle pay?
> That’s not at all clear. Fusion is buggy as can be. Eagle needs some
> updates. Both
> have a lot of development $$$ that they will be sucking up. Yes that
> has to get paid
> for. It’s not clear that a revenue stream based on hobbyists paying 
> $500 a year
> is rational. My guess is Autodesk will figure that out. They may
> abandon the whole
> basement thing, they may not …. we’ll see.
> 
> Bob
> 
> 
>> On Jan 19, 2017, at 10:52 PM, Richard (Rick) Karlquist 
>> <richard at karlquist.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Off topic, but probably a lot of disgrunted Eagle users on this list.
>> Its official, you will now have to pay $500 per year for a
>> professional license from Autodesk.  The spin meistering of the
>> announcement would make George Orwell proud.  I don't see any way they
>> can keep me from just using the license I currently own, at least
>> on the OS's it supports.  (Parenthetically, like many users, I
>> am also digging in my heels in terms of staying at Windows 7).
>> 
>> Still, the question arises:  are there any affordable alternatives?
>> Don't have to be entirely free.  I am looking for any trends out
>> there as to what tool will attract a critical mass of users in
>> the future.  There is strength in numbers.
>> 
>> Comments?
>> 
>> Rick N6RK
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Dr. Don Latham
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