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  3. I wish Microsoft would write a CAD program.

I wish Microsoft would write a CAD program.

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  • H Offline
    H Offline
    honey the codewitch
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

    To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

    OriginalGriffO M M N F 21 Replies Last reply
    0
    • H honey the codewitch

      There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

      To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

      OriginalGriffO Offline
      OriginalGriffO Offline
      OriginalGriff
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Have you tried Fusion 360? I like it for 3d modelling / printing.

      "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

      "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
      "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

      H 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • OriginalGriffO OriginalGriff

        Have you tried Fusion 360? I like it for 3d modelling / printing.

        "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!

        H Offline
        H Offline
        honey the codewitch
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Not sure I can use it to make schematics and board layouts though.

        To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • H honey the codewitch

          There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

          To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

          M Offline
          M Offline
          megaadam
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Me no great fan of Microsoft. But it is undeniable that they have done a dang good job with code, along with attracting great add-ons. For many applications, there is often excellent freeware. For example, you may google, for video-editing software until you die and stumble into Adobe and other rip-offs, until you eventually find, or learn about BlackMagic Design. Top notch, free, and mosdef not the first search page hit. So it makes me wonder, what you have tried... I have no of course clue of what scale of board you are designing, or how many boards. It might be related to MIDI, or not. But it would surprise me if no freeware would cut the cake, for a one-or-few-person-project, or cut close enuff. Are all these[^] really just crap? If your project is not top secret, then purrhaps the web-based designers, might be candidates as well?

          "If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"

          H 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • H honey the codewitch

            There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

            To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

            M Offline
            M Offline
            Mircea Neacsu
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            I case you don't know the story behind it, Eagle was designed by a German company (CadSoft). On principle, I stay away from German designed UI and Eagle was just one more example why I should follow this rule. Now it is part of AutoDesk and it is slowly integrated with Fusion360. It's getting better but still has a way to go. There are alternatives out there but once you've made you parts library, switching is more difficult.

            Mircea

            L B 2 Replies Last reply
            0
            • M megaadam

              Me no great fan of Microsoft. But it is undeniable that they have done a dang good job with code, along with attracting great add-ons. For many applications, there is often excellent freeware. For example, you may google, for video-editing software until you die and stumble into Adobe and other rip-offs, until you eventually find, or learn about BlackMagic Design. Top notch, free, and mosdef not the first search page hit. So it makes me wonder, what you have tried... I have no of course clue of what scale of board you are designing, or how many boards. It might be related to MIDI, or not. But it would surprise me if no freeware would cut the cake, for a one-or-few-person-project, or cut close enuff. Are all these[^] really just crap? If your project is not top secret, then purrhaps the web-based designers, might be candidates as well?

              "If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"

              H Offline
              H Offline
              honey the codewitch
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              I'm kind of stuck with something that can read the formats mouser provides so I can lay out the appropriate parts.

              To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

              M 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • H honey the codewitch

                I'm kind of stuck with something that can read the formats mouser provides so I can lay out the appropriate parts.

                To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                M Offline
                M Offline
                megaadam
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                Ah, guess that limits your choices...

                "If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • H honey the codewitch

                  There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                  To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                  N Offline
                  N Offline
                  Nelek
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  2D: NanoCad 3D: SketchUp (FreeCad can a couple of thing more, but is way more frustrating) For me more than enough

                  M.D.V. ;) If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about? Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • H honey the codewitch

                    There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                    To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                    F Offline
                    F Offline
                    fgs1963
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    Dassault Systems (Catia, SolidWorks, etc...) offers an awesome AutoCad 2D clone called Draftsight. It used to be free for home use. Sadly, it's gone 100% paid at $249 / year. DraftSight[^] Free Trial[^]

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • H honey the codewitch

                      There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                      To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                      D Offline
                      D Offline
                      David ONeil
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      With how much harder the ribbon is to use than the old menu system, No. If you are just building a schematic, what is to keep you from using something like Inkscape? It will be harder to use than a CAD program, but will it be easier to use than EAGLE? If NanoCAD still has a free option, I'd probably go with it for 2D work. I think I liked LibreCAD when I played with it, but now I only do 3D stuff, and use Alibre Atom 3D. I would probably fake a 2D drawing with it if I had to do 2D stuff. Good luck! edit - what exactly is a schematic for the work you are doing, and how do you need to supply the output to suppliers?

                      Our Forgotten Astronomy | Object Oriented Programming with C++

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • H honey the codewitch

                        There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                        To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                        R Offline
                        R Offline
                        raddevus
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        I gave up on Eagle and instead went to Kicad. Kicad seems to work much easier -- for me. I had never used a CAD type of program before and Kicad got me all the way to a complete PCB which I sent to oshkosh and had manufactured. try it, it's free: KiCad EDA - Schematic Capture & PCB Design Software[^]

                        E P V 3 Replies Last reply
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                        • H honey the codewitch

                          There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                          To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                          C Offline
                          C Offline
                          Choroid
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          This one is 3D but you can omit the Z axis and draw semantics IT is FREE to use online I use it to model woodworking models Trimble Identity[^]

                          H 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • C Choroid

                            This one is 3D but you can omit the Z axis and draw semantics IT is FREE to use online I use it to model woodworking models Trimble Identity[^]

                            H Offline
                            H Offline
                            honey the codewitch
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            It would need to be able to load common electronics component models, including schematics. Most 3D cad programs can't do schematics, and then routing based on that.

                            To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                            D 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • H honey the codewitch

                              There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                              To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                              J Offline
                              J Offline
                              John de Abreu
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              [^] KiCad is free and brilliant.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • H honey the codewitch

                                There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                                To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                                G Offline
                                G Offline
                                glennPattonWork3
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                I battled with Eagle, but gave up, tried using KiCAD better than Eagle, however it seems to be getting closer to Altium. There is was(?) a PCB designer called ProTel which was one of the parents of Altium, not too sure if it got abandoned but I found it online for a very low (cheap) price. Not too sure if all the latest foot prints are available though. :)

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • H honey the codewitch

                                  There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                                  To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                                  G Offline
                                  G Offline
                                  giulicard
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  honey the codewitch wrote:

                                  I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design

                                  Give it a try to KiCAD. After 25 years far from electrical diagrams and their related PCBs, it was enough for me to use it for a few days to create a complete project, starting from the electric diagram to Gerber and drilling files. As far as I know, people at CERN are heavily involved in the development and maintenance of this EDA tool. Which is free. A native auto router is missing, but AFAIK you can export the netlist to other free tools to re-import the auto-routing design to KiCad.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • H honey the codewitch

                                    There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                                    To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                                    L Offline
                                    L Offline
                                    Lost User
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    Have you ever tried using Solidworks? It’s appalling from a UI point of view. I think a different team implemented each function without any holistic view of how it will all go together. The number of inconsistencies would probably get me banned for spamming if I listed them all!

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • H honey the codewitch

                                      There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                                      To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                                      J Offline
                                      J Offline
                                      JohnDG52
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      I'll put in another plug for KiCAD. I used Cadence stuff professionally before retiring, but now I only do occasional contracts and homers, it's not worth buying stuff. KiCAD is pretty good - pity I can't import my libraries from work, tho'!

                                      E 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • H honey the codewitch

                                        There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                                        To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                                        M Offline
                                        M Offline
                                        milo xml
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        I haven't used it too much, but you could give TinkerCad a try. Might be too basic for you tho. TinkerCad[^]

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • H honey the codewitch

                                          There. I said it. Microsoft is good at creating visual designers. They just are. Now, we've all complained about them, but we all use them (or rather, many of us do) because the alternatives are so much worse. I've been wrestling with EAGLE trying to build a schematic, and whoever designed it broke every possible rule of good UI design and maybe a few that haven't been written yet. Using it is like having your teeth pulled. And I think back to Visio, as much as I hated it, it was so much better than this. :sigh:

                                          To err is human. Fortune favors the monsters.

                                          G Offline
                                          G Offline
                                          godfetish
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          CADdyi by Microsoft A free CAD software with premium features for the maker! *If someone uses this name, you owe me money.

                                          The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT", "SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this document are to be interpreted as described in RFC 2119.

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