Homebrew PCBs

logicresearch wrote:
> If there are any programmers out there, why not write something that 
> actually IS good - easy selection of components, direct transfer to 
> PCB, good autorouting, etc.

Have you tried KiCAD (<http://kicad.sourceforge.net>)?

Grab the 'stable' installer and the latest SVN update; there are some really 
nice features in the latest version... like SPECCTRA exporting. That and the 
FreeRouting.net autorouter gets you a very capable CAD system.

Bad points?
   - Library management is tremendously nasty
   - DRC/ERC is pretty pedestrian, even compared to EAGLE
   - Built-in autorouter is dire. Use FreeRouter instead.
   - Workflow is a little long-winded
   - No back-annotation (though I rarely find I need it, just a nice-to-have)

On the plus side...
   - Feels a lot like ORCAD SDT/386, but with a shiny GUI front-end.
   - Full hierarchical design support. If there's a bit of the design that you 
keep repeating, copy it into a separate sheet, then drop a sheet symbol on the 
parent sheet and wire it up. Very nice for handling large-ish designs. EAGLE 
doesn't do this... :)
   - SPECCTRA export/import support. Export a DSN file, feed that to SPECCTRA, 
ELECTRA or FreeRouter, then pull the SES file back into KiCAD and tweak it.

I'm starting to like it, but I think I might have to do some severe 
redesigning of the standard component libraries...

-- 
Phil.                         |  (\_/)  This is Bunny. Copy and paste Bunny
ygroups@...         | (='.'=) into your signature to help him gain
http://www.philpem.me.uk/     | (")_(") world domination.