Homebrew PCBs

On 10/29/2010 02:21 AM, Howard Chester wrote:
> Kikad from sourceforge.net is also a good package (open source
 > - no limits) but is a bit harder to use,
 > and I'm not sure that the library contains the MAX668

There are a couple of open source packages, I use (and develop) 
gEDA/PCB.  When people complain about the limited library, I point out 
that no matter how big the library, you're going to end up making your 
own symbols and footprints, because new parts come on the market.  So 
you should not just look at what's *in* the library, but how easy is it 
to add to it?

In PCB, for example, you can make new footprints right in pcb, even 
while laying out your board.  Symbol creation is done right in the 
schematic editor.  In both cases, the files are documented text files, 
you can create them with a text editor, and there are scripts available 
for automating it (I use djboxsym for 90% of my symbols).  Heck, one 
user created a programming language specifically designed to create 
footprints.

Some web-based symbol/footprint tools for gEDA/PCB:

http://vivara.net/cgi-bin/djboxsym.cgi - online box-symbol generator
http://www.gedasymbols.org/user/dj_delorie/tools/dilpad.html - online 
DIP footprint generator
http://www.gedasymbols.org/ - site for community-provided stuff

And a brief tutorial which includes making a footprint in PCB:

http://www.delorie.com/pcb/docs/gs/

On a side note, anyone using gEDA/PCB (or wanting to learn) is welcome 
to ask questions at #geda on OFTC.net, where I hang out most of the time.