Has AD peaked?

[BMF]

Since Altium is charging subscribers for worthwhile features like the PDN tool I wonder if Designer has reached it's peak in terms of core functionality. Maybe the upcoming X2 will be the true full featured package. I'm considering eliminating my subscription and then migrating towards another package. I don't want to the fund development of another software package and then have to buy it. Plus investing more time into a dead end package seems foolish. EDA users really need to demand standard libraries and design files. We tie up too much work in proprietary formats. Sorry I have to vent here, my cat doesn't understand why I don't use open source. 

[uncle_bob]

Hi

What you are talking about, really, is lock in. It is hardly unique to one package or to one vendor. All cad has a tendency to lock you in to a program. From what I have seen, pcb layout is at least as bad as any of the rest.

You pretty much nailed the real issue - libraries. To a lesser (but still vital) extent, transportable design files. We have all been doing computer based design for > 40 years now. Every single place I have ever worked is locked into this or that firstly by the investment in what *should* be standardized - parts libraries. I don't re-invent ASCII each time I switch text editors ....

The "how" of getting from where we are to some sort of "open" environment is what is unclear. Nobody has really come up with a rational solution. If I decide today that I'm going to use this part in that package ... off to some sort of editor to build it up. That gizmo is likely a lot easier to use than it was 40 years ago. It's still not something you turn loose on 40,000 parts all by it's self.

Crazy world.

Bob