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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

  • I started using Eagle on my Mac in 2010, and purchased Eagle Professional v5 with schematic, layout and autorouter. I use it for hobby purposes, but I use higher-end PCB CAD software at work in my day job, so I just felt too constrained by the limitations of the lower tiers of Eagle.

     

    I then upgraded to Eagle Professional v6 in 2012. As I recall, that was a paid upgrade, and I happily upgraded due to the new features in v6.

     

    Due to the licensing change in v7, not to mention the brain-dead removal of prior versions when installing v7, I will not be upgrading to v7. I'll continue using v6 for the time being, until I find a better alternative. KiCad is starting to look interesting. I clearly don't mind paying for good software, but I will not tolerate intrusive license management. Even if upgrading to v7 was free of charge, I would not upgrade due to its intrusive license management.

     

    Of course, once I become satisfied with another tool, I won't be likely to switch back to Eagle even if they remove the intrusive licensing enforcement in some later version. Switching CAD systems is not a decision to be taken lightly, and it takes strong reasons to force an engineer to change tools. The licensing in v7 is a strong enough reason to cause me to drop Eagle and switch to another tool.

  • in reply to Former Member

     

    Due to the licensing change in v7, not to mention the brain-dead removal

    of prior versions when installing v7, I will not be upgrading to v7.

     

    Hi Mark,

     

    Just a comment on the brain dead removal of prior versions on the Mac. I

    wanted to update that I brought the issue to the attention of our

    developers and we can confirm that the issue is with the software we use

    to package EAGLE for the Mac. We will be updating this software soon, so

    this will no longer be a problem.

     

    hth,

    Jorge Garcia

     

     

  • in reply to autodeskguest

    Just a comment on the brain dead removal of prior versions on the Mac. I

    wanted to update that I brought the issue to the attention of our

    developers and we can confirm that the issue is with the software we use

    to package EAGLE for the Mac. We will be updating this software soon, so

    this will no longer be a problem.

     

    Well, that's nice. It still doesn't address the primary issue I have with v7, which is the new licensing enforcement. This alone is enough to make me not consider using v7, even as a free upgrade. I want to make sure that CadSoft understands that they are losing my future revenue as an Eagle Professional customer due to this change.

Reply
  • in reply to autodeskguest

    Just a comment on the brain dead removal of prior versions on the Mac. I

    wanted to update that I brought the issue to the attention of our

    developers and we can confirm that the issue is with the software we use

    to package EAGLE for the Mac. We will be updating this software soon, so

    this will no longer be a problem.

     

    Well, that's nice. It still doesn't address the primary issue I have with v7, which is the new licensing enforcement. This alone is enough to make me not consider using v7, even as a free upgrade. I want to make sure that CadSoft understands that they are losing my future revenue as an Eagle Professional customer due to this change.

Children
  • in reply to Former Member

      > Well, that's nice. It still doesn't address the primary issue I have

    with v7, which is the new licensing enforcement. This alone is enough to

    make me not consider using v7, even as a free upgrade. I want to make

    sure that CadSoft understands that they are losing my future revenue as

    an Eagle Professional customer due to this change.

     

    Hi Mark,

     

    Point taken, lets see what management decides to do with it.

     

    Best Regards,

    Jorge Garcia