Actions
Forum Thread Details
  • Replies 86 replies
  • Subscribers 194 subscribers
  • Views 13363 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Related

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

  • It looks like Cadsoft want to piss off their customers. The most important question for them is, how many more licences will they sell because of this "improved license management" and how many future sales/upgrades they will lose...

     

    It's true that you can find pirated copies with torrent but, honestly, people who use those pirated copies for free, will never buy a license because they are not professionals. For them it's not important enough to spend money for a license. So, their is not much gain for Cadsoft.

    And I'm sure that also V7 will be cracked and available on torrent soon. In the end, honest people who have bought a license will be punished with this silly "host-id" restriction and the pirates will continue laughing.

     

    We have bought a license for the professional version (V6) but with this "improved license management" it's unlikely that we are going to upgrade...

     

    Could this all be because Farnell has bought Cadsof Eagle?

Reply

  • It looks like Cadsoft want to piss off their customers. The most important question for them is, how many more licences will they sell because of this "improved license management" and how many future sales/upgrades they will lose...

     

    It's true that you can find pirated copies with torrent but, honestly, people who use those pirated copies for free, will never buy a license because they are not professionals. For them it's not important enough to spend money for a license. So, their is not much gain for Cadsoft.

    And I'm sure that also V7 will be cracked and available on torrent soon. In the end, honest people who have bought a license will be punished with this silly "host-id" restriction and the pirates will continue laughing.

     

    We have bought a license for the professional version (V6) but with this "improved license management" it's unlikely that we are going to upgrade...

     

    Could this all be because Farnell has bought Cadsof Eagle?

Children
  • in reply to Joop14

    Hi,

    Joop14 is right.

    Since V5 I use eagle, I purchased my license for my personal use, I made my company to purchase it's own, so at work I use the license of my company. I and my company purchase the upgrade to V6.

    I could use only one license for my company and my personal use, but I didn't and I will not. But if we can not purchase a server base 1 user license or a dongle based one, my company will certainly not purchase and update and we will keep V6. And for my personal use I will do the same.

     

    As I said

    we don't have the auto-router license, so except hierarchical schematics, this version will bring us hostID, (hoop sorry) troubles

    so why purchase this update ?

     

    And why on earth they don't let us choose a 1 user server based license: there is NO technical issue since all the license server I know support 1 user or several users !!!

     

    I'm not into future reading, and I don't know

    how many more licenses will they sell because of this "improved license management"

    but I see one thing: if they don't change their policy, they at least loose my license, that the one of my company.

  • in reply to Joop14

    On 20.07.2014 09:17, Joop14 wrote:

     

    Could this all be because Farnell has bought Cadsof Eagle?

     

    Greetings from Mr. Shareholder Value

     

    Markus

     

     

  • in reply to Joop14

    On 07/20/2014 03:17 AM, Joop14 wrote:

    Could this all be because Farnell has bought Cadsof Eagle?

     

    This is the kind of thing that happens when a bureaucrat is left alone

    in a room with a typewriter.

     

    Did they expected to boost their sales with a more restrictive license

    policy, or moving from a user based license to a concurrent license?

     

    Cadsoft, you were doing so well.  Now you've made a strategic decision

    down a path that will more likely lead to fewer sales, not more.

     

    I, for one, am looking forward to version 7.1 that reverts back to the

    previous licensing policy, you know, the one that produced the growth

    that you've seen so far.

     

        - Chuck

    10 year+ eagle user.

     

  • in reply to dukepro

    Hi!

     

    Am 21.07.2014 15:55, schrieb Chuck Huber:

    This is the kind of thing that happens when a bureaucrat is left alone

    in a room with a typewriter.

     

    Exactly.

     

    Did they expected to boost their sales with a more restrictive license

    policy, or moving from a user based license to a concurrent license?

     

    They do, as Walter Spermann explained: They concentrate on a new

    customer base in Asia/Russia and that these new customers want a

    licensing scheme like this. Hence they give a *** on us paying

    customers of the past.

     

    I, for one, am looking forward to version 7.1 that reverts back to the

    previous licensing policy, you know, the one that produced the growth

    that you've seen so far.

     

    The next thing you'll probably get is the dongle that Jorge Garcia is so

    hot for. You'll have to wait for V8, at least. However, all these

    activities add more and more cost to the product, but there is

    absolutely no value added, no progress...

     

    All that's left to do for now: Don't upgrade.

     

    Rene

     

     

  • in reply to autodeskguest

    rk wrote on Mon, 21 July 2014 10:20

    They do, as Walter Spermann explained: They concentrate on a new

    customer base in Asia/Russia and that these new customers want a

    licensing scheme like this.

     

     

    That's nonsense.  Much more likely, Cadsoft is worried about more license

    fraud from those areas and is seeking to protect itself, which is exactly

    the opposite of what the customers want in Asia and Russia.

     

    Overall, this means Cadsoft values the potential new customers more than

    the existing ones.  This makes me worry that much of their future effort

    will be in producing Chinese and Russian language versions instead of

    giving us new features.

     

    The more I hear, the more this sounds like the beginning of the end.  I

    have a lot invested in Eagle, but now that seems like a liability.  With

    the obnoxios license structure and the future of Eagle itself now in

    question, it's time to look around to see what else is out there.

    --

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

     

  • in reply to autodeskguest

    Am 21.07.2014 07:43, schrieb Markus Rudolf:

    On 20.07.2014 09:17, Joop14 wrote:

     

    Could this all be because Farnell has bought Cadsof Eagle?

     

    Greetings from Mr. Shareholder Value

     

    Markus

     

     

    I think so.

     

    Afaik there was an agreement between the founders and Farnell to

    continue the business as it was then..

    Perhaps the peace time has run out?

     

    --

    Mit freundlichen Grüßen / With best regards

     

    Joern Paschedag

     

  • in reply to autodeskguest

    Hello Olin,

     

    > The more I hear, the more this sounds like the beginning of the end.

    I have a lot invested in Eagle, but now that seems like a liability.  With

    the obnoxios license structure and the future of Eagle itself now in

    question, it's time to look around to see what else is out there.

     

     

    I agree with you .... unfortunately.

     

    And regarding cr...s - I am quite sure the cr...ed versions will be

    "available" soon, similar like for other software. A lot of software

    based on hardware-Id got the "k..gen" and ...

     

    For me the best protection was the method used from 3.x to 5.x - the

    editors serial stored in the file.

     

    Best regards

    --

    Grzegorz Zalot

     

    complex ltd.

    office tel/fax : +48 32 2505840

    mobil : +48 501 301515

     

    http://www.complex.org.pl/

     

  • in reply to autodeskguest

     

    For me the best protection was the method used from 3.x to 5.x - the

    editors serial stored in the file.

     

     

    That was really a great, simple and really efficient. Work done with Cr..ed version of eagle was simply corrupted, and could not be used.