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New eagle licensing -> goodbye Eagle

SpacedCowboy

So, I've used Eagle now for over 10 years. In all that time I've always upgraded to the latest version, but that's just stopped.

 

I have multiple computers, and I use multiple locations. I've always only ever used one instance of Eagle at a time, and I've never given the license details to anyone else. Unfortunately, the latest way in which Eagle is licensed is way too restrictive for me to work with the product as I have done for over a decade now.

 

The problem is two-fold:

  • You are only allowed to install on 2 (which is pitiful!) computers if you have a single user license.
  • You cannot use a flexlm-based license for a single-user license.

 

The combination of those two things means I can't duplicate the setup I currently have, so this is the classic example of how proprietary software owners can screw you over without you having any recompense or workaround, despite you being a paying and loyal customer for an extended period of time. I don't consider cracking the software to be an adequate workaround.

 

So, if I'm going to have to spend $$$ in the thousands, I'll take a good look at the competition first, and even at the freebies like kikad. Eagle has major shortcomings anyway - no "bus routing" and the differential pair support is poor at best. I think, with this decision, cadsoft couldn't have done more to help along the freebies, and lose the people who might some day splash the cash and go for the pro option.

 

A primary rule for any software "upgrade" is "don't break the existing workflows". Eagle v7 is completely useless to me, not because of its feature-set, not because of any price issues, but because the management is being pants-on-head moronic about how it goes about licensing. Licensing, of all things.

 

Very disappointed.

Parents

  • The licensing change is really unfortunate, and means there's no way I can upgrade, even though the features are most interesting.  Reasons:

     

    1. Running a license server means I need to immediately involve IT in the software purchasing decision.  We're a small research group at the far flung edge of the world, without local IT or EngOps. So this means I have to work with "national" IT, and coordinate work with company wide IT about 16 hours away.  For $1000-$2000 of software? They're already busy as it is, and their first question will be: what alternatives are there?

     

    2. The 2 or 3 people using eagle now need VPN access.  We've never needed it before, all our email and voice/video conferring is done without VPN access and provides 99% of the people what they need.  Again, back to IT for assistance.

     

    3. We frequently work at test labs, or remote sites around the world.  Getting VPN access, if at all possible is probably going to be over roaming sim cards via tethered phones.  We either can't pull up schematics anymore, or we're going to be paying huge amounts of money to tether to roaming sim cards.  For what?  Eagle to do a license check? 

     

    Solidworks, IAR, etc all have these problems and they're already a royal pain.  Need to replace the IAR dongle? $500-$750 to replace. Ran into that lovely problem when an airline lost some luggage.  Never again am I going willingly down that route with any company.  To bad too, I've worked with eagle for almost 10 years.

  • in reply to asj

    a sj wrote

    ... and coordinate work with company wide IT about 16 hours away.

     

     

    What planet are you on that has at least a 32 hour day?

    --

    Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

     

Reply Children
  • in reply to dukepro

    AAh, sorry just how I tend to talk about timezones. They have a -16 hour time difference from us. Just as we're getting into the office they're heading home.  (it's yesterday evening for them) End result is the same, we can't upgrade to v7. There is an alternative, the company is moving the Zueken, and this is going to push us that way. Their licensing is way worse, but it is supported by IT and they'll do what is needed to make it run.

     

    This is the 2nd company I've brought eagle to. First purchased a v4 license (now v6), and I'm sad to see this come to an end. It feels like losing a friend.

  • in reply to e14 Contributor

    On 07/30/2014 01:11 PM, kirash4 wrote:

    Perhaps they meant 16-hours driving?

     

    Or perhaps a 16-hour difference in time and workday combination?  About

    the time his shop is closing the IT department is opening, thus putting

    any response in the start of his next workday - 16 hours away.