Free Altium is Coming

[Rigby]

Kicad and the other CM competitors do support the cloud, it's call github.  ;-)

https://github.com/zapta/power-monitors/commit/cbf68082d77411b56746d49a4da8005c6a9a07c6

That's an interesting point.  If they require cloud homed files because of the context-aware sharing, that's fine.  If they require cloud storage and they don't have context-aware sharing and reuse, it is likely because they want to own the files you create.  This would be a Very Uncool Move, IMHO, and would preclude me from using the tool in any capacity.

We'll see how it pans out.  I'm hopeful.

[zapta]

That's an interesting point.  If they require cloud homed files because of the context-aware sharing, that's fine.  If they require cloud storage and they don't have context-aware sharing and reuse, it is likely because they want to own the files you create.  This would be a Very Uncool Move, IMHO, and would preclude me from using the tool in any capacity.

We'll see how it pans out.  I'm hopeful.

If I understood Dave correclty the current plans use the jail model. You can drive to jail to visit your files (assuming your car is from an approved manufacturer) but need to pay bail to get them out.

;-)

[free_electron]

its orange   ( i hinted at this over  year ago. )

so it looks like altium Designer pre-flex design but with a ribbon bar bolted on.
does it have keyboard shortcuts ? ( i hate ribbon bar and menu click-o-dromes for cad layout. often used functions should be able to be invoked form menus , for newbies, as well as keyboard shortcuts for advanced users.

i gotta get me hands on the beta for that thing !

[Spikee]

I have AD14.3.9 but i must say that the circuitmaker package looks pretty sweet. I want to play around with it...
I currently have some open source projects on github that use altium designer. With this new altium program those files will be accessible to more poeple  .

[Precipice]

With this new altium program those files will be accessible to more poeple  .

This matters to me, too. While it won't satisfy the 'all the tools must be open' brigade, if it lets me easily release, and others easily reuse, work, I'll be a happy chap.

[miguelvp]

BTW, check your junk mail folder.

Not an important e-mail, just stating that it's in close beta but it puts you in the queue for potential close beta testers.

Anyways, check your junk mail folder if you did sign up.

[Rigby]

That's an interesting point.  If they require cloud homed files because of the context-aware sharing, that's fine.  If they require cloud storage and they don't have context-aware sharing and reuse, it is likely because they want to own the files you create.  This would be a Very Uncool Move, IMHO, and would preclude me from using the tool in any capacity.

We'll see how it pans out.  I'm hopeful.

If I understood Dave correclty the current plans use the jail model. You can drive to jail to visit your files (assuming your car is from an approved manufacturer) but need to pay bail to get them out.

;-)

Nice.  I can live with that.  The site's legal area claims now ownership of design files, but I am not sure the app's legalese is represented there, yet.

its orange   ( i hinted at this over  year ago. )

so it looks like altium Designer pre-flex design but with a ribbon bar bolted on.
does it have keyboard shortcuts ? ( i hate ribbon bar and menu click-o-dromes for cad layout. often used functions should be able to be invoked form menus , for newbies, as well as keyboard shortcuts for advanced users.

i gotta get me hands on the beta for that thing !

Done right, the ribbon requires no mouse usage.  If you have access to an MS Office install, just press and release the ALT key while, say, Excel has focus.  Lots of things light up.  Push one of the keys that are shown and navigate the ribbon that way.  It becomes very quick to do things if it's just an ALT, X, Y, Z away.  Mouse will almost always be slower, especially so once you move those key sequences to muscle memory.

[Rigby]

With this new altium program those files will be accessible to more poeple  .

This matters to me, too. While it won't satisfy the 'all the tools must be open' brigade, if it lets me easily release, and others easily reuse, work, I'll be a happy chap.

Don't think you'll be able to host your stuff in Github.  The files are jailed by default.  I don't think a get out of jail card has been revealed, yet.

[Spikee]

With this new altium program those files will be accessible to more poeple  .

This matters to me, too. While it won't satisfy the 'all the tools must be open' brigade, if it lets me easily release, and others easily reuse, work, I'll be a happy chap.

Don't think you'll be able to host your stuff in Github.  The files are jailed by default.  I don't think a get out of jail card has been revealed, yet.

Then i will just provide the Circuitmaker link =)

BTW, check your junk mail folder.

Not an important e-mail, just stating that it's in close beta but it puts you in the queue for potential close beta testers.

Anyways, check your junk mail folder if you did sign up.

Signed up to the beta, but i also contacted them via email if i could have access to the pre-pre-beta.

[Precipice]

Don't think you'll be able to host your stuff in Github.  The files are jailed by default.  I don't think a get out of jail card has been revealed, yet.

Huh? I can host what I like on github... It might or might not be with Altium's blessing, but if people can import it into circuitmaker, I'm happy. If I can import back from circuitmaker without pain, so much the better.
If you mean I can't host my open stuff in circuitmakerworld, or whatever it ends up being called, then I don't mind - if real Altium stuff exports cleanly to circuitmaker, than either I, or someone else, will post it.)

(If paid-for Altium has productivity enhancements that mean I can (continue to) knock out open and closed designs quickly and reliably, I'll not be using circuitmaker when I've got paid licenses here)

[Rigby]

I mean, as far as I know now, you won't be able to get access to the files in order to upload them to Github.

[tszaboo]

its orange   ( i hinted at this over  year ago. )

so it looks like altium Designer pre-flex design but with a ribbon bar bolted on.
does it have keyboard shortcuts ? ( i hate ribbon bar and menu click-o-dromes for cad layout. often used functions should be able to be invoked form menus , for newbies, as well as keyboard shortcuts for advanced users.

i gotta get me hands on the beta for that thing !

Good question. They used to underline the shortcuts, and I don't see that here.
Most of the shortcut stuff is in my head and I can do it in a second but it takes like a minute to find it in the menus.
It would be a killer feature, if it could open and edit files from other EDA packages.

[Spikee]

I mean, as far as I know now, you won't be able to get access to the files in order to upload them to Github.

it does not matter because those people don't have an altium license. Thus providing a link to Circuit maker would be enough.

[Rigby]

Good question. They used to underline the shortcuts, and I don't see that here.
Most of the shortcut stuff is in my head and I can do it in a second but it takes like a minute to find it in the menus.
It would be a killer feature, if it could open and edit files from other EDA packages.

Usually, a press and release of the ALT key will get you going on ribbon keyboard shortcuts.

[hikariuk]

...
What matters to me is the EULA.  If Altium claim ownership of everything I do

It does not matter EULA or not, you lose control over your data, it is not yours if it is on the cloud, many people are going to learn this hard way.

Not being able to save to my local system is an instant turn-off for me, to the point that I won't use something that only provides "cloud" storage as an option.

[zapta]

Then i will just provide the Circuitmaker link =)

Will it support versioning like github?

[nixfu]

Looks like what Dave has been talking about is arriving.


http://circuitmaker.com/#why_circuitmaker

[SirNick]

Light gray text on white.  Nice choice.  (angles LCD to read it)

Dave -- do an impressions video! 

[Kjelt]

So whats the catch how are they gonna make money of this "free" tool?

[tszaboo]

Then i will just provide the Circuitmaker link =)

Will it support versioning like github?

Altium is supporting SVN. I guess this will be something cloud based and different.

Good question. They used to underline the shortcuts, and I don't see that here.
Most of the shortcut stuff is in my head and I can do it in a second but it takes like a minute to find it in the menus.
It would be a killer feature, if it could open and edit files from other EDA packages.

Usually, a press and release of the ALT key will get you going on ribbon keyboard shortcuts.

That is all good and everything, but can I get my usual hotkeys?

[DavidDLC]

Kjelt, I was thinking the same.

What is the common thing to do ? Give a limited application and force people to buy tools, features, add-ons, etc.

Our hope, that we can do most of our designs with the free limited application, otherwise people will go back to the other free apps.

David.

[Wilksey]

That UI looks familiar.

If as people have said it only saves to "the cloud" then will it be able to open and print from "normal" Altium? Who wants to save to the cloud only?
I am not convinced they have quite grasped the concept of a "free" version if the above is true.

[ajb]

According to the website it's a free limited version, and you can buy upgrades to expand its capabilities.  No indication of what the limitations are yet.  With the recent price increase to AD (which is something like US$6K3/seat, not counting subscription, IIRC) it's going to be a steep slope unless the free version is REALLY basic.  My guess would be they leave out all of the signal integrity stuff, the more advanced design rule capability, a lot of the data management capability, and limit the max PCB size.  Their big competition is Eagle first and probably KiCAD second, so as long as the software is robust and easy to use, there's lot of room for them to be competitive even without bringing a lot of the features of AD all the way down to the free option.

[ludzinc]

How could I resist? This whole subject just tickles me. Watching the handwringing over all these features I shan't message the K word in this thread again

Mention it all you like.

I reserve judgment on the Altium tool until I've used it.  I've used Altium Designer, though, and it's pretty great. 

I've used Kicad and I'm not sure how anyone can tolerate it.  No one would tolerate the problems that software has if they paid even $1 for it.

The good thing about that it is that anyone using it is going to see impressive improvements in an already useful (to them) tool in the near future.  There's a lot to be said for that.  Kicad could be the most consistently up-to-date EDA software package, soon.

If anything I would like to see more development attention paid to Kicad.  I REALLY hope that CERN can keep up their momentum.

I really, really, *really* wanted to like KiCAD.

Being able to share your work was the hook their.

But the GUI?  OMG so bad. Who cares about push n shove, if copy - paste doesn't work.

With Circuit Maker I'm not happy with the cloud only option, but the collaboration sounds like an excellent idea, and I'd bet money copy - paste works.

Excited!!

[EEVblog]

Since Dave has had his hands on the new gee-whiz, it will be interesting to get his take on this. 

I have not used it yet, just been given a demo of it via Skype.