[rescue] Sun Kit Needed for EE Student Here

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Tue, 2 May 2006, Don Y wrote:

>> Depends.  We run both here at $ork for logic tests and circuit CAD.
>> For
>
> Sure.  But what did you PAY for those (software) tools?

Probably more than any reasonable person would charge for software.  I
don't recall the exact figure, but it had a rather strong MEGO factor,
even for me (and I came from an IBM shop!).

> This kid's pockets are probably not deep enough for that!
> (since he's only looking at a couple hundred bucks to
> throw at hardware...)

Undoubtedly.  It's a real shame that it's hard to get ahold of
limited-edition EE software for non-Windows platforms.  You'd think
companies like Cadence would -want- the new blood in the industry to be
fanatical and knowledgable about their tools.  It's a lot easier for
that to happen when you get the tools into the kids' hands BEFORE they
land a job.

I mean, say a kid even builds a widget and makes money from the no-cost
version of some schematic capture or board layout software.  Eventually,
he'll outgrow the limitations of the software, and, if he's used to
Brand A software, he'll put the money he made towards a license of Brand
A Professional.

-- 
Jonathan Patschke   )  "Humans that lose the capacity to think become
Elgin, TX          (    creatures whose existence has no value."
USA                 )                      --Schwarzwald, _The_Big_O_