No their software won't run on Linux.
Here is my summary so far:
Oregano easily the best schematic writing program, gets everything right
with component placing and ease of use- pity it does not provide
board editing or gerber output
Kicad, horrible schematic program - red border and crosshairs dominate,
making it unusable for me.
Diptrace works, but fails to join components correctly and self creates errors.
Altium won't run on Linux
Easy EDA similarly has crosshairs problem and wont join components correctly
Eagle, ridiculously hard finding parts.
LibrePCB LibrePCB finally a program written for everyone -
looks good, but in its early stages of development, can't wait for its stable release.
Here is my summary so far:
Oregano easily the best schematic writing program, gets everything right
with component placing and ease of use- pity it does not provide
board editing or gerber output
Kicad, horrible schematic program - red border and crosshairs dominate,
making it unusable for me.
Diptrace works, but fails to join components correctly and self creates errors.
Altium won't run on Linux
Easy EDA similarly has crosshairs problem and wont join components correctly
Eagle, ridiculously hard finding parts.
LibrePCB LibrePCB finally a program written for everyone -
looks good, but in its early stages of development, can't wait for its stable release.
You are welcome to try it.
This is just a download link.
You will only get as far as the "input security code" but if it gets that far then it should run OK.
http://murtonpikesystems.co.uk.servepreview.net/pcbcad51download2.html
The schematic entry of Eagle works fine when you only use it as a drawing tool, but it's a complete disaster when you actually want to use the netlist that comes out for something, for making a PCB for example.
Being used to the schematic entry programs of PSpice, Cadence icfb, Cadence Virtuoso, LTSpice and KiCad, I would expect that a wire between two components with no visible label attached to it connects those components and nothing else, no matter whether the wire is drawn from scratch or copied from somewhere. In Eagle there is hardly any relation between the wires you see on the schematics and the actual connections, especially when you copy wires. It is very easy to unintendedly create a wire on the schematic that does not connect two parts.
Being used to the schematic entry programs of PSpice, Cadence icfb, Cadence Virtuoso, LTSpice and KiCad, I would expect that a wire between two components with no visible label attached to it connects those components and nothing else, no matter whether the wire is drawn from scratch or copied from somewhere. In Eagle there is hardly any relation between the wires you see on the schematics and the actual connections, especially when you copy wires. It is very easy to unintendedly create a wire on the schematic that does not connect two parts.
Every time a new line is created it should have its own unique net name.
It starts to get complicated when nets mesh together and you start deleting single lines. You can end up with the old net names as net names for two separated lines which might be wrong. A the schematic to pcb rats nest stage they would be connected.
I don't understand how you get a line that doesn't connect. The line should have a net name and whether it is connected to a pin or not.
This why I like tags on lines so you can see the net names.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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Hi Chris,
I started using Design Spark from RS Australia about 5 boards ago. Mainly because Eagle made usage too hard. Design Spark starts with schematic entry with accurately entered components (value AND package) to feed the PCB process as a rats nest. Auto route if you wish.
Fast learning curve and has an associated library engine that finds component shapes/footprints for the PCB, I was cautious and checked anything I downloaded after finding an error. Library components may be designed on different grid sizes which can be annoying but is not a problem. Plus its easy to design your own foot prints.
Cannot remember if it ran on unix.
I get my boards made by Silver Circuits in Malaysia (PCB Prototypes) who I find very responsive even tho I only order small prototype type quantities. Been using them for about 6 years. They accept the Design Spark pcb documents as is as well as the other major players. Typically US$12.50 each for quantity 4 size 8.5x4 inch two layer plated hole boards with solder masks and silk screen. I tend to combine several discrete circuits separated with snap apart lines of drill holes to use up the PCB area allowance. Normally about 2 weeks delivery to my door.
I started using Design Spark from RS Australia about 5 boards ago. Mainly because Eagle made usage too hard. Design Spark starts with schematic entry with accurately entered components (value AND package) to feed the PCB process as a rats nest. Auto route if you wish.
Fast learning curve and has an associated library engine that finds component shapes/footprints for the PCB, I was cautious and checked anything I downloaded after finding an error. Library components may be designed on different grid sizes which can be annoying but is not a problem. Plus its easy to design your own foot prints.
Cannot remember if it ran on unix.
I get my boards made by Silver Circuits in Malaysia (PCB Prototypes) who I find very responsive even tho I only order small prototype type quantities. Been using them for about 6 years. They accept the Design Spark pcb documents as is as well as the other major players. Typically US$12.50 each for quantity 4 size 8.5x4 inch two layer plated hole boards with solder masks and silk screen. I tend to combine several discrete circuits separated with snap apart lines of drill holes to use up the PCB area allowance. Normally about 2 weeks delivery to my door.
Design spark is an old version of EasyPC.
I bought a copy in around 1990.
It was full of bugs and kept crashing.
I thought I could do better so wrote my own PCBCAD software without the bugs. I nicked a lot of their ideas and key presses. I then added component auto placing to it. Another thing I pinched was displaying text net names on the tracks while laying out the PCB. This is very useful.
The new EasyPC is about £400 and has come on a lot since those days.
Of course it would be a really stupid bug if that happened with automatically generated, invisible net names - instead the program should generate a new net name when the connection is cut or the wire is copied, unless there is a user-specified, visible label attached to it. Eagle is full of such bugs.
I don't understand it either.
I have mixed feelings about that, because labels/tags may become invisible again when you zoom out - and then when you copy something, you could get an unintended connection by label even when the program is not buggy.
but sadly Design Spark does not run on Linux or Linux Wine
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