PADS versus PCAD

[lbedal]

If a company was deciding which software to standarize on which one should it pick? PCAD or PADS? Why? or Why not for each would be a big help.
Thank you

[cadpro2k]

Why not PCAD? It's being end-of-life'd (EOL). PCAD will disappear as a new release in the next 1-2 years. It's already been announced.

You might want to standardize on Altium though (was Protel). Seems to be as capable as PADS for the future. I've heard good things.

Good day.

Mitch

[lbedal]

Is PCAD realy near its end? Where could I get info on that? Thanks for any help.

[Skip Yutkus]

I tend to agree with Mitch, only because Pads as capable as it is once you learn how to use it, is getting very expensive - almost as much as Expedition, it's not really an option if you need a high capability/low cost PCB design package - PCad is actually the old Accell EDA software - and Altium was not able to incorporate Latium technology into it.

Skip

[cadpro2k]

Well, anyways I got this from the Mentor newsletter a month or so ago:

» Altium is discontinuing P-CAD!
Altium has just notified their customer base that:
'P-CAD 2006 will be the last major upgrade release in the P-CAD product line...we'll continue to support P-CAD with regularly scheduled service packs for ...up to 18 months to give you the time to evaluate and prepare for your organization's move to Altium Designer.'

Can't find it announced at Altium.com, nor am I a registered Altium (PCAD) user.

Mitch

[cole]

UP!
Diane Liu

Grand Dragon Industrial Group Co.,LTD (HK)（PCB Maker in China）

TEL: 86-755-29202580
FAX:86-755-27622270
MSN: coole-1109@hotmail.com
yahoo:colegirl119@yahoo.com

[peranders]

I have checked Altium a bit and it seems pretty capable but it is not very cheap. Eagle is not very expensive and can rather much for the money. www.cadsoft.de