Can the free version be installed and used without internet connection and also in case the autodesk servers are offline for more than 14 days?1) Install EAGLE freeware
2) Sign in with your Autodesk credentials
Once the credentials are accepted you can literally disconnect the computer from WIFI, ethernet, etc.
So, the answer is no. You can not install and run the free version without internet connection or without the autodesk servers up and running.
Thank you for clearing that up Jorge.
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?
Yeah, sure, that‘s terrible. And how would you get the software in the first place if you don‘t have any internet connection at all, ever?
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
Yeah, sure, that‘s terrible. And how would you get the software in the first place if you don‘t have any internet connection at all, ever?
I don‘t like the subscription model either, and have no intention to switch over from my v7. But I truly consider that problem you chose to highlight a non-issue, Karel.
Yes, we could use our V7 licenses forever, reinstalling them when needed, but dead software isn't useful to a growing business.
If/when there is a good business case to purchase a fully loaded seat of Altium, then we will - they offer an Eagle import tool.
I also could convert to KICad and forget licensing issues altogether. I really tried hard (as you could see from previous posts I made here) but the single most important feature to me is eagle's roundtrip capability of switching seamlessly between schematic and layout work. Maybe I'm just to incompetent to design a system sequentially and unidirectionally just using the netlist to track changes consistently ...
Why the hate for Autodesk? They provide good tools no? I guess you don't have to use them if you don't want to.
What sold me on Eagle/Fusion 360 was that they both just worked well seperatley AND played nicely together. It's a nice workflow. And I like the subscription model - we hire our staff by the month, why their some of the tools? This also gives Autodesk an incentive to improve the tools to retain customers.
Why the hate for Autodesk? They provide good tools no? I guess you don't have to use them if you don't want to.
I looked briefly at KiCad - but what I don't want to have to understand how to build my CAD tools, or fear them being 'unfinished'.
What sold me on Eagle/Fusion 360 was that they both just worked well seperatley AND played nicely together. It's a nice workflow. And I like the subscription model - we hire our staff by the month, why their some of the tools? This also gives Autodesk an incentive to improve the tools to retain customers.
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
Why the hate for Autodesk? They provide good tools no? I guess you don't have to use them if you don't want to.
I looked briefly at KiCad - but what I don't want to have to understand how to build my CAD tools, or fear them being 'unfinished'.
What sold me on Eagle/Fusion 360 was that they both just worked well seperatley AND played nicely together. It's a nice workflow. And I like the subscription model - we hire our staff by the month, why their some of the tools? This also gives Autodesk an incentive to improve the tools to retain customers.
I get the "tool security" argument - but for me it doesn't matter too much. OK, let's put it another way, in my 26+ years of designing stuff I have never been scuppered by not being able to "open" a PCB in a PCB design tool (or code, or drawings).
And yes, Autodesk could put the prices up - or tier the product offering more. And if the functionality improves then why not? If Eagle became an Altium grade product then I'm sure they would try and charge more.
They should make a program available to convert previous Eagle files to Kicad format.