World's worst software. What's decent?

  I've been looking hard.  I need a decent schematic and PCB package under
$1000.  Don't need autorouter or a zillion layers.  Do want back
annotation and ease of use.  I've downloaded a dozen demo packages.  The
software all seems to be written by people with exceptional eyesight, no
fingers, a poor grasp of the English language, little understanding of
Windows conventions, and have never actually designed a PC board.  They
mostly have 300 little tiny unreadable icons and no clue that clicking
the left mouse button should select something and the right button
should offer a list of things to do with it. A good few do not use the
mouse buttons at all. Pretty much without exception the software is
expensive and very poorly written.  I can draw schematics and boards
faster and easier in Autocad, which is what I do now.

Is there ANYTHING out there that: actually correctly uses the mouse, has
working popup help on the buttons, is written in American English (no
"colours" please), is readable by somebody without super-human eyesight
and does 95% of everything with only the mouse buttons like it should.
Double-click to change properties, right-click to rotate, mirror, swap,
delete, add, cut, etc.  I don't want something I have to fight with.
Under $1,000.

 I use an old version of Eagle, as it meets most of these requirements. I
have purchased and installed the Linux and newer Windows versions, but
have found them too slow, hard to read and require too many movements to
get anything done.

See if you can find a copy of Eagle 3.5 or so. It will do most of what you
want.



--
Steven D. Swift, novatech@eskimo.com, http://www.novatech-instr.com
NOVATECH INSTRUMENTS, INC.      P.O. Box 55997
206.301.8986, fax 206.363.4367  Seattle, Washington 98155 USA

 Robert,
    Don't know if you already know of it but a gent by the name
of Terry Pinnel has a page devoted to CAD software. It contains a
lot of cheaper packages and in some cases a small review or
commentary of the package. In some cases he also has pricing and
most have links to the vendors home page. And no, he is not
selling any of it, he is not a pirate, just a guy who compiled
probably the most complete list of CAD software yet.

see Terry's page at:

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/terrypin/ECADList.html

--
Sincerely,
Brad Velander


package under

back

packages.  The

eyesight, no

understanding of

board.  They

clicking

button

use the

software is

boards

mouse, has

English (no

eyesight

should.

mirror, swap,

with.

 Very nice.  I had not found that page.  I've looked at about half of
those so far.  I've found many where I can't understand how they could
sell a single copy.  Terrible.  A couple that I don't really like but I
could maybe live with.  I'll sort through the rest today.  Thanks.

Brad Velander wrote:

 
Robert -

Any chance you can post some brief comments and complaints about the
packages you've looked at?

Rob