PCB design software recomendations?

[David Gravereaux]

I've been trying PCB (schematic/layout) demo and shareware software
for a while and just can't find anything I like. I do like OrCAD, and
have used it years ago, but would not like to purchase a whopper
priced single user license

Eagle was OK, but 4 times the mouse clicking to do anything OrCAD does
in 2 clicks. I didn't like it. PCB123 and PCBExpress are too funny
as they give you free software and force you to have your boards made
by them. Not for me.

I want to output artwork to a laser printer and do the toner transfer
technique.

Ok, so what's descent these days in the nearly free software catagory?

No PSpice needed, nor FPGA design, etc.. just plain schematic and
layout needed.

 

[JeffM]

I've been trying PCB (schematic/layout) demo and shareware software

so what's descent these days in the nearly free software catagory?
David Gravereaux

You'll have to decide which of these goes *deep enough*
and which ones are *decent*.

Costs you nothing to try:
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.cad/browse_frm/thread/e87733628a7eb0b8/df7509de283eaee7?q=499-pin-*-is-free+free-up-to-256-pins+*-larger-effort-*-*-required-to-master-the-program+zzz+not-able-or-*-prepared
..
Cheap:
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.cad/browse_frm/thread/e87733628a7eb0b8/e19479ed6ad1e13e?q=Mirroring-*-automatic+Low-price+eval-version-can't-save+zzz+4-copper-layers+limitation
but with bugs:
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.design/browse_frm/thread/d50b8a05e609ec55/3b7568f697082bfb?q=Rimu+*-have-it-import-the-part-footprints+expecting-*-*-more-of-a-*-helpfile+no-autorouter+exactly-the-opposite
..
Open source (gratis and libre):
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.design/browse_frm/thread/4dc17798ab227627/2b2a7c9bf650b02b?q=*-downloaded-Kicad+*-easy-to-use+it-did-what-I-needed+zzz+*-*-*-complete-design-flow+decent-manual
..
An open source package with a longer history
(Requires Linux if you want the latest version):
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.cad/browse_frm/thread/fa282fff76211bc0/51750e23881ee593?q=gEDA/PCB
but can be run under Windoze:
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.cad/browse_frm/thread/48df3aacea9f678e/6fea470843e2daaf?q=The-Windows-port+working-on-a-new-Windows-release+zzz+mingw+and-Windows+runs-on-*-*--Unix-like-*+runs-on-*-OSX+author:Ales-Hvezda

 

[David Gravereaux]

Jeff,

Thanks for your help. WinQCad appears to be the winner so far for its
wide selection of output artwork formats...

I liked kicad very much, but I haven't found the "magic" with
ghostscript+gimp to manipulate the postscript output.