Author Topic: Circuit Studio Dead? (again!) (Read 78096 times)

Dubbie · « **on:** February 24, 2020, 03:23:54 am »

I went to the forums to see if there had been any updates to CircuitStudio before I start another project. It seems it hasn't been updated in years now. Apparently, Peter the Altium representive in the forums got made redundant before christmas. All signs are pointing to an abandoned product. It's a bit sad. It was perfect for me as a hobbyist They keep trying to "upsell" me to full AD. of course I am not going to buy that! I am not a professional.

I am thinking about moving to kicad eventually. although I hate the look of the UI.
Does anyone have any insider info to leak?

dzseki · « **Reply #1 on:** February 24, 2020, 06:49:22 am »

I don't know Circuit Studio per se, but your posting hit an interesting pitch.
Personally I can think of many-many programs those older versions of say from even 20 years ago would be still very much usable for non professional usage even today.
So what is actually stopping you to use Circuit Studio further?

Dubbie · « **Reply #2 on:** February 24, 2020, 08:04:03 am »

Nothing is stopping me right now, but what if I have a license issue in the future and nobody replies to email? I don’t want to get caught out in the middle of a project. Also there are a few very annoying bugs that I constantly face which I wish they would fix. I’d rather be using tools that are still in development. However I am not in any rush to switch, it’s just something I will keep in mind moving forward.

dzseki · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2020, 11:54:15 am »

I assume you have a perpetual licence for the software. Altium is not likely to go under anytime soon, even if the platform becomes abandoned, so at least you could use what you have right now.

voltsandjolts · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2020, 05:14:06 pm »

Disclosure: My posts here about CS are (almost) always positive because I actually like it, warts 'n' all.

However, I'm just a matter of days from my CS subscription expiring and I'm struggling to justify renewing it.
I've seen no meaningful updates, or more importantly, no meaningful statements from Altium (or Farnell) on the future of CS.

Why does the subscription even exist?
Am I just paying for vault access?....erm, no thanks.

I'm sure Altium folks read this forum (James Harriman, sir, are you still around?) and if so could someone PLEASE give us hope of updates to come this year?
Tell me 'Find Similar Objects' is coming to CS and I will gladly renew right now!

IanJ · « **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2020, 11:19:36 pm »

Quote from: voltsandjolts on February 25, 2020, 05:14:06 pm

Disclosure: My posts here about CS are (almost) always positive because I actually like it, warts 'n' all.

However, I'm just a matter of days from my CS subscription expiring and I'm struggling to justify renewing it.
I've seen no meaningful updates, or more importantly, no meaningful statements from Altium (or Farnell) on the future of CS.

Why does the subscription even exist?
Am I just paying for vault access?....erm, no thanks.

I'm sure Altium folks read this forum (James Harriman, sir, are you still around?) and if so could someone PLEASE give us hope of updates to come this year?
Tell me 'Find Similar Objects' is coming to CS and I will gladly renew right now!

I'm with you on this.
I really like CircuitStudio but I think I'll not bother subscribing again. I think we can re-enable subscription later on if say a nice big update arrives.

Ian.

Dubbie · « **Reply #6 on:** February 26, 2020, 01:26:02 am »

I really like it too and am sad it seems to have been left to die.

I have started laying out a small board in KiCAD. It's no-where near as polished as CS, but it hasn't crashed yet.
The clicking behaviour in the viewport drives me insane. I doubt you could design something less intuitive if you tried.

JamesH-AltiumOfficial · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2020, 02:27:00 am »

Hi All,

CircuitStudio is indeed being further developed, and is currently being updated to align more closely with our other products. It is taking some time, but please stay tuned for more updates! As soon as I can confirm features such as Find Similar Objects, I'll let you know.

Best regards,
James Harriman
Altium

Dubbie · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2020, 04:15:18 am »

I am very pleased to hear this. Using other applications really shows how green the grass is on my side

Please do share any details you can as soon as possible.

kaz911 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 27, 2020, 12:22:02 pm »

Hi James,

thanks for the update. But you response is about as clear as the messages from last year and the one the year before.

So are we talking updates in a Q1/Q2/Q3/Q4 2020? Or 2021?

It is about time Altium gives some clear direction. And if you can't produce a even a rough timeline - it is clear there is not much effort put into the product - not even enough for plans and deadlines (like the rest of us work with on a daily basis.)

We have now lived with v1.5 from May 24th 2018. (with only a couple of tiny bug fix releases post 1.5 release) - so close to TWO years. And 1.5 vs 1.4 was not really a big release.

best regards

/kaz

Quote from: JamesH-AltiumOfficial on February 27, 2020, 02:27:00 am

Hi All,

CircuitStudio is indeed being further developed, and is currently being updated to align more closely with our other products. It is taking some time, but please stay tuned for more updates! As soon as I can confirm features such as Find Similar Objects, I'll let you know.

Best regards,
James Harriman
Altium

voltsandjolts · « **Reply #10 on:** March 13, 2020, 10:26:47 am »

I was hoping James would return with some concrete plans for CS updates.
Unfortunately that hasn't happened and given the past year of inaction I have to conclude that Altium have no plans for it.
So, my subscription has expired and I give up hope of future useful updates.

However, I will contnue to use CS, it is quite a good tool as-is.
But, dang, with just a few added features it could be a great tool

Joel_l · « **Reply #11 on:** March 15, 2020, 04:01:26 pm »

The promise of updates and schedules has come and gone many times. Altium has been a complete let down. I let my subscription go a couple years ago. I still use the software when I need to and it does OK. Altium is the worst company I have ever dealt with.

mars01 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 21, 2020, 05:27:02 am »

The whole approach that Altium had regarding CircuitStudio shows that in the future, if another application will be launched that will let Altium Designer as a secondary product, then those that have an Altium Designer license will be treated the same way.
That's not comforting ... if they will start saying something along the lines: "please upgrade to our new and shiny whatever!"

It's already done with CircuitStudio, it's not such a leap to see it done to Altium Designer.

Therefore the question:
Why should one should buy another product from a company that treat some of their user-base so badly?
Why should a company invest in Altium Designer with such a bad history that Altium has with CircuitStudio?

Muessigb · « **Reply #13 on:** March 31, 2020, 04:42:04 pm »

Quote from: JamesH-AltiumOfficial on February 27, 2020, 02:27:00 am

CircuitStudio is indeed being further developed, and is currently being updated to align more closely with our other products. It is taking some time, but please stay tuned for more updates! As soon as I can confirm features such as Find Similar Objects, I'll let you know.

We also really need a keyboard shortcut for select physical connection. Also, making footprints should really be improved by allowing more numeric inputs.

Zbig · « **Reply #14 on:** May 20, 2020, 09:15:11 am »

According to the post at element14 forum, they started refunding users who opt to renew their subscription. Had I not learned the class and style of Altium as a company already, I'd take it as an honest gesture of not charging people for the non-updates and not as a sign of them just abandoning the product altogether and couldn't be arsed to let anybody know properly. I kind of feel for James of Altium a bit who seems to have to chime in here from time to time and try to convince everyone that CS isn't dead, just sleeping. Again. And again.

voltsandjolts · « **Reply #15 on:** May 20, 2020, 04:39:07 pm »

I saw that post but I'm not sure it means much, maybe just some payment/admin error.
I say that because CS and the subscriptions are still available for purchase:
https://uk.farnell.com/c/engineering-software/eda-ecad-mcad-tools?brand=altium

I wonder if Dave has heard any rumours from inside Altium....

IanJ · « **Reply #16 on:** May 21, 2020, 07:10:27 am »

Interesting wee development going on there......and it got me thinking about what I would do if Altium dropped CircuitStudio........

- I'd probably just soldier on with it stand alone for ever more (I really like it). I don't use the vault these days instead using SamacSys Components Search engine & Library Loader for symbols and footprints if I don't generate my own.

- I loaded up Eagle V9 (I have a premium license) and the screen redraw is just too slow/draggy (Intel Core i7 8700K, SSD & 32gb). I do miss being able to use Eagle's ability to drag components around and the traces move also. Still not sure about Eagle's Library management......I used to hate it with a vengance back at V7.

- I loaded up KiCad......but have yet to take a big sigh and try it in anger.

What gets me, is that it's 2020, not 1990, so why of why are there still seemingly big issues with the various Ecad solutions out there. And why haven't Altium been able to keep the dev of CS ticking over all this time.

Ian.

voltsandjolts · « **Reply #17 on:** May 21, 2020, 05:31:42 pm »

Quote from: IanJ on May 21, 2020, 07:10:27 am

I'd probably just soldier on with it stand alone for ever more (I really like it).

Me too.
It has all the features I really need, although I do miss Find Similar Objects that AD has...
...but for the modest boards I design I can just about live without it.
It's not worth the extra 5000GBP to get that feature!

kaz911 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 11, 2020, 07:47:58 pm »

Got another "Special Offer" to upgrade to full Altium late last week. GBP 2765,- I think it was. And I guess it was excl. VAT but they did not elaborate on that. It included first year maintenance but no details on ongoing maintenance cost in the offer letter.

Sal Ammoniac · « **Reply #19 on:** June 14, 2020, 04:15:16 am »

Same here. The offer in the States is $3500 to upgrade to the full AD package.

Muessigb · « **Reply #20 on:** July 05, 2020, 09:28:53 pm »

Quote from: kaz911 on June 11, 2020, 07:47:58 pm

Got another "Special Offer" to upgrade to full Altium late last week. GBP 2765,- I think it was. And I guess it was excl. VAT but they did not elaborate on that. It included first year maintenance but no details on ongoing maintenance cost in the offer letter.

I got a similar offer from an Altium employee. I was being presented a special offer for 2830,- EUR, which I declined.

Joel_l · « **Reply #21 on:** July 05, 2020, 10:15:33 pm »

I missed a call from Altium the other day. I suspect it was to try and get me to upgrade. They are clueless about their customer base. They seems to think that foks that bought a 500 dollar software are going to upgrade to multi K dollar software and just as expensive subscription fees.

But, just because CS was much less expensive, does not mean we deserve the total lack of support and development. We are talking years now.

ahbushnell · « **Reply #22 on:** July 31, 2020, 01:02:49 pm »

Quote from: Joel_l on July 05, 2020, 10:15:33 pm

I missed a call from Altium the other day. I suspect it was to try and get me to upgrade. They are clueless about their customer base. They seems to think that foks that bought a 500 dollar software are going to upgrade to multi K dollar software and just as expensive subscription fees.

But, just because CS was much less expensive, does not mean we deserve the total lack of support and development. We are talking years now.

I upgraded to Altium from CS. Of course I use it for professional boards.

IanJ · « **Reply #23 on:** July 31, 2020, 02:59:44 pm »

Things are happening......believe me.

Ian.

kaz911 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 31, 2020, 06:08:30 pm »

Quote from: IanJ on July 31, 2020, 02:59:44 pm

Things are happening......believe me.

Ian.

so would you recommend to renew the subscription or just wait... ... (You can't just put a post like that out there without a little bit of clarification *G*)


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Author Topic: Circuit Studio Dead? (again!) (Read 78096 times)

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