Current best Schematic/PCB Software in the $2,000 USD and under range

[alvaius]

In order for something to have been stolen, the person it has been stolen from must be deprived of it. That is, they no longer have it or are no longer able to use it.

You cannot apply the terms "theft" or "stealing" to this situation, no matter how righteous you are.

I think the topic of illegal software use has seriously blurred the line between theft and just outright dishonesty. And yes, in my book one of those is much worse than the other.

You argument is completely flawed. What is stolen is the value that the software represents whatever it is. It is downright dishonest, and it is STEALING. My company had one of our FPGA designs stolen and resulting equipment we made.... we were deprived of millions of earnings and hence likely several people were deprived of jobs. We were also deprived of about $100K in unnecessary engineering to make the design uncloneable.

This is not the 12th century anymore. Just because something does not have a physical presence does not make it any less real. If I am to use your argument there should be no "legal" issue with me pulling down a PASS LABS schematic, building it myself and selling it.

Not righteous...right.

 

[theAnonymous1]

Again, someone tossing a blanket statement on the issue. There is a huge difference between what you just described and what I was talking about.

 

[ostripper]

I walk the streets and see the gold at the side of the road,
I pick it up and put it in my pocket. I trade it for some food
and shelter, am I a thief??

I browse the internet, there is a link.. I click it...as if by magic
36 million 1's and 0's appear on my hard drive.
I click on the 36 million.. and it is Microcap 9.. I use it, don't make
any money off of it, don't pass it around. Did I "steal it"??

I didn't put the link there. Isohunt (canada) made it legal for
the link to be there . It used to be legal here but they
shut down many torrent sites.. but then why doesn't the USA
block Isohunt. Sounds like entrapment to me.

Many double standards around, "perceived value".. drugs,
software, gasoline ($5.00 2 months ago $1.30 today)
here today ,gone tomorrow.. (next upgrade renders your
$1000 software useless, you can upgrade for $500 more)
They tried making the link between software and
and the realworld (theft ), here in the states, now they are in
a frantic race to start making money off the same downloads
they sought to criminalize a short while ago.

On to the Software.... Eagle is good for beginners , National
instruments design suite 10 is superb (the Isohunt one is
virii free and works very good.)
Microcap 9 (Isohunt ) is more of a simulation based program
but the best I have tinkered with (thermal sims),
it is also virus free but to "crack it" you must
install a virtual "dongle" WARNING .doing so violates IP
laws and might bring the law to yer' door (except in
sweden , eastern europe,china , and canada..)
Also, installing virtual hardware can "break" some systems.
OS

 

[alvaius]

Again, someone tossing a blanket statement on the issue. There is a huge difference between what you just described and what I was talking about.

No, the issue is that there really isn't a difference. It is not a blanket, it is a simple thing to realize that because something does not have a "physical" implementation, does not make it any less "real".

There likely are "rare" cases where parents do not know their kids have massive stores of illegally downloaded music that they are actively sharing. However, it is their responsibility to be at least aware of what is going on under their own roof and to teach their kids right and wrong. My kids know that downloading music they have not paid for is wrong and they do not do it. One of my sons friends has a game system and a ton of illegal software for it. His mom, yes a single mother is completely aware of it...she paid for the system mod to allow the illegal software to work. If she had to pay thousands in fines then sorry, I would not feel bad at all for her.

 

[alvaius]

Actually just because you found gold by the side of the road, does not mean that you have the right to use it and trade it for shelter and food. Odds are, you would be committing a crime as it is reasonable to expect that you knew it was not being "given" away. Using the convenient car analogy, if you find a car beside the road, it does not mean you can sell it. All you argument are based on the "if it is easy to steal and untraceable, then it must be ok".

You know perfectly well when you clink on that link, download, and install software, that it is not legal software. Try taking some responsibility for your own actions.

 

[ostripper]

However, it is their responsibility to be at least aware of what is going on under their own roof and to teach their kids right and wrong.

It is way beyond that point.. A better thing to do is change
the business model. I read of the new "Second life" program,
it is cheap, they make more money in upgrades after they
"hook" the customer (custom avatars) Or cell phones,
they give them away for almost free, then when you
are "hooked" they "have you" via service plans.

Kids at our local school had a "Ip awareness class" , they
laughed the commentator out of the room when pirated music
was mentioned (majority rules).

National instruments (multisim) gives a 30 day evaluation
with limited export capabilities..
https://lumen.ni.com/nicif/us/evalmultisim/content.xhtml
Not everyone wants to infringe so each to their own..
OS

 

[hifimaker]

2 weeks ago my 11 year old son found a dollar bill on the school grounds after class. He was happy to get a free dollar. When I mentioned to him that could be some child's lunch money, he realized it was not his and he turned it into the office. They said he can have it after a week if it's not claimed. A week later the principal gave him the dollar. Now it's his free of any consequences. He decided to donate it to the school for the school's kids lunch fund.

I was proud of his character.

-David

 

[alvaius]

Kids at our local school had a "Ip awareness class" , they
laughed the commentator out of the room when pirated music
was mentioned (majority rules).
OS

And this is something to be happy about? Majority may "think" they rule, but when you rule nothing, what is it worth? When people stop feeling they can make money by investing in creating technology, then they will stop doing it.... or make it so painful or expensive to steal that you will not do it. I guess we should just go back to record players and vinyl since that is the type of world you are promoting. There is nothing wrong with the business model, just with the lack of ethics and morality that are so prevalent.

Yes there are rich drug dealers, and rich CEOs that break the law, but the vast majority of those living the good life did so by creating value..and selling that value.. and they are the ones that are actually ruling the way you live your life.... better be nice to them.

 

[chatziva]

I was an Eagle fanatic until I tried Diptrace

good products & free