PCB artist

s or can you save and generate gerber files for any PCB house?

hem".

Yeah almost certain you're locked into their service. Just get FreePCB and use that. Great open source program.

Don't think I've heard of that one yet -- I'll investigate.

So many of these are overkill for what I need -- 3 or 4 layer, steep learning curve.

I'm an occasional user so I like the programs that are "obvious".

Try some context in your posts. At least include the name of who you are responding to.

FreePCB is layout-only. For anything that isn't dirt-simple, it will also require a schematic capture app; TinyCAD is one such item.

Both FreePCB and TinyCAD are Windoze-only, but both will run under WINE.

Late at night, by candle light, JeffM penned this immortal opus:

Might have a look at KiCAD. Runs under Linux and there are Windows binaries available.

- YD.

I wondered if someone would go there. The OP sounds like he is looking for *simple*.

...even from (bootable) optical media (i.e. without installing):

gEDA (GNU Electronic Design Automation) is another (GPL'd) package in this (powerful) class. Windoze binaries not available any longer; Dan McMahill maintains a build script for getting it going under Windoze.

The Linux distros mentioned above also contain gEDA.

...and before someone applauds Cadsoft's non-free DRM'd crippleware demo: