Can I use the free version to open up an 8 year old file for a 6-layer PCB, remove an IC that was EOL by manufacturer and replace it with another non-pin-compatible IC, move a few traces and passives, and re-generate production files? If the answer is yes; can I do it legally with a free license since this is for commercial purposes?
Hi macegr,
It's nice to hear from you again. The answer to your question is no, the freeware version wouldn't allow you to modify the six layer board so there's no need to answer the second question. However, I've been thinking a lot about this long term support situation, it's been on my mind since this all started. I've never made anything that has required a guaranteed 10-15(or whatever time frame you want to put) year availability, but I know some of you do. Here's my question to you guys, and it's a real question, not trying to be polemic but I'm trying to understand the situation.
Let's say you have a customer and they enter into a contract with you where they will purchase X amount of product for the next 15 years, so you must now guarantee support for the product for that time frame. What happens if for whatever reason you have to close up shop 8 years into the contract? I know there are a lot of extenuating factors and clauses that can be in these sorts of things but what would be the general approach to handling that situation?
I have never found a pleasing way to answer the concern "What happens if Autodesk disappears in X time? Under this model I can't continue to use EAGLE" though I'm still trying to find an answer. It seems to me that there is a direct parallel between the hypothetical situation above and when EAGLE users tell us that they don't want to be hosed if Autodesk closes shop. What's the difference? Why do your customers feel OK entering into these contracts with that same possibility looming, but some EAGLE users don't feel comfortable with the long term prospect of Autodesk. I'm having trouble seeing the difference between both scenarios.
If anyone can enlighten me I would really appreciate it.
Thanks for the attention guys.
Best Regards,
Jorge Garcia
Hi Jorge, in response to your contract example, both parties negotiate a free market contract, whereas, the contract, or license for cloud based subscription software tools, and not just Eagle, but AutoCAD, Inventor, etc. is a one sided contract developed by the provider, in this case, Autodesk. If I were involved with the provider side of that contract and was shutting down operations, I would bend over backwards to try and help alleviate problems for that person/company that I entered into the contract with. Most goliath software companies like Microsft, Autodesk, Siemens, etc. just do not try very hard to alleviate the wake of a failed software venture, in my previous experience with them, and there have been a number of occasions where I had to deal with this situation.
I have Autocad 2000 which I can use to open a dxf file (which was developed by Autodesk) for 2d CAD drawings and modify the drawing and export as dxf and load into a modern version of AutoCAD, ProgeCAD, DraftSight, etc. I will still be able to maintain drawings created with AutoCad 2000 10 years from now if needed.
The point with subscription services that gets stuck in my throat is that I no longer can use Eagle, or any other subscription software tools, if the connection gets cut, either by Autodesk stopping the service or my internet is not connected, or I am out of Territory. I am bound by the EULA terms that Autodesk created and I could not freely negotiate those terms.
Having the software tool locally based on my PC and not in the cloud, or internet gives me the freedom to continue using the same version on into perpetuity if needed, even if the product is discontinued, as opposed to being simply screwed if the service gets shutdown bu Autodesk.
Don't get me wrong, I am not zeroing in on Autodesk, per se, but the subject was for Eagle, and the OP's questions were debating the advantages and disadvantages of going subscription. I don't like subscription software service in general because of my stated rationale above.
With that I wish you well and I can only hope that Autodesk starts using a customer centric approach to this type of licensing, maybe cooler heads will prevail, who knows.