[rickcr42]

Yup.sure is and damn nice too :

KICAD Open source PCB Suite and all there

Eeschema :Schematic entry.
Pcbnew :Board editor.
Gerbview :GERBER viewer (photoplotter documents).
Cvpcb :footprint selector for components used in the circuit design.
Kicad: project manager

http://www.lis.inpg.fr/realise_au_lis/kicad/

hopefully this is not old news but even if so worth a re-posting for those who need/want a psb/schematic CAD not company "product specific" or with a huge learning curve.

Gotta love Open Source and those who take the time to share their labors for zero financial gain,what the internet once was............................

 

[rsabo]

Not the only open-source suite as well. gEDA for gnome/gtk, I'm positive there's one for KDE/QT as well, but I can't think of the name.

 

[dsavitsk]

Mmmm, Python.

 

[blueworm]

I;ve been using pcb
http://pcb.sourceforge.net
Will try Kicad, it does look a lot better and more complete.
Nice find.

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsabo Not the only open-source suite as well. gEDA for gnome/gtk, I'm positive there's one for KDE/QT as well, but I can't think of the name.

I loathe gEDA. The user interface is so incredibly bad.

I'm still looking for a schematic editor under linux with data entry superior to pencil and paper.

 

[rickcr42]

The above is linux ready but i hear you on the pencil and paper thing.

I do every single schematic I have ever done by putting a writing implement to paper,usually ink,then making any corrections either in red or on the "revised" page.I layout and chassis this way,switching patterns,the way something will look........................

To me humans will never interface with a machine as well and as natural as they will with "hands on" real time tactile feedback and the only time I use a schematic drawing program is to run the numbers in SPICE which in the end means squat anyway.

Specs and measurements can tell you when something is wrong but never when you got it right.For that you need to go low tech and use the most ancient of test equipment-your ears

 

[rickcr42]

Oh yeah.the Gerber file reader and 3D CAD is a nice touch

 

[ericj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickcr42 The above is linux ready but i hear you on the pencil and paper thing.

The thing about gEDA is that the UI fights you at every turn.

The interface is both modal and rythmic, with the end result that in order to place or move a symbol you end up having to click several things in a specific order to go into the selection mode, select the symbol, go into another mode to place it, place it, then go into another mode to orient it the right direction.

I never did figure out how to make connections between devices that actually connect. After 15 minutes of fighting with the UI i gave up.

I test software for a living. I've made a decent career out of it. Whoever cooked up the gEDA user interface would have unpleasant things said about them on a regular basis pretty much anywhere I've worked.

They're probably great at some kind of programming, but some people are just six kinds of lousy when it comes to interface design.

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

They're probably great at some kind of programming, but some people are just six kinds of lousy when it comes to interface design.

I hear that !

Machines are supposed to make life easier so should just do the damn job and otherwise go away but that is often not the case.
When the learning curve to use something is so complicated or the "steps" so painful to implement it actually takes longer than if you went totally machine free then my thought is why take a step back ?

Ever notice how many people rely on their computer to do things they could have done easier and better manually just because it is "there" and they have come to rely on it for everything ?

Anyway.I still like the LT Switcher CAD and TI Tiny for the rare occasions when I need CAD software (SWCAD has a support group with many many more downlaoadable files) but can't say off hand if they are Linux ready or not.As for a Gerber file (or any other file) reader there are stand allong "no bloat" free readers available but again I don't know about Linux readers.

The above caught my eye because of the open source and cross-platform use but to be honest can't say I actually used it since I am set for my needs and rarelty use a custom pcb.Even for digital work it is the RF vector board route