🚀 go-pugleaf

johnh@macadam.mpce.mq.edu.au (John Haddy) writes:

>Although the concept is good, I'm afraid there may be huge difficulties. The
>primary one is that all those "great little designs ... developed at
>universities" have been designed with programs other than PADS. New projects also
>are likely to be developed using whatever in-house software has already been
>purchased.

	This is likely to be true, but PADS is free so people new
to PC board could learn PADS without the financial hurdle.

>I feel that the best way of disseminating circuits is a set of files;
>PostScript images of the schematics and of all the layers for a circuit board.

	This is an OK method of making schematic and board images
available but it is not ideal.   It is like posting programs
in executable form only.   I would like to be able to change
designs to my needs.   I would like to be able to cut and paste
multiple designs together.

>My reasons for PostScript is that it is widely readable, and most laser printer
>accuracy is sufficient that any PCB which will fit on an A4 page will work. The
>majority (if not all) PCB packages are now capable of generating PostScript.

>I can testify to the accuracy of laser printing - we now no longer use our pen
>plotters at all except for boards greater than A3 size. We regularly do boards up
>to 12"x10" or so (on an A3 printer) and to 8"x10" on A4; double sided works with
>no problems. I've also done SMD work with 0.050" pin spacing of the PostScript
>image.

	Laser printers are generally fine for maintaining the resolution
necessary in any graphic mode, postscript or PCL.   My desire is 
to be able to edit designs.

	If the poster of a design has not used PADS then he 
probably should use postscript.   He should also post the 
netlist.   This would allow recreating the design in PADS with
somewhat less work.   The netlist could be processed into a format
that PADS would accept.


--
>>>>>>>>>>>> Peter Reilley ..... pvr@wiis.wang.com ..... KA1LAT <<<<<<<<<<<<<
                     Well, that about says it.