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CadSoft will enhance Premier Farnell and element14

awinning

We have been getting questions and requests for further information about Premier Farnell’s acquisition of CadSoft and the business of of Cadsoft  Computer Inc. While I don’t have all the answers, I’ll post what I know, and if you require any further information, please post your question here and I’ll try my hardest to find out the answers.


 

EAGLE software will continue to be supported and developed. The two founders of CadSoft who initially developed EAGLE software will remain with the business for agreed time periods as part of the integration process.

EAGLE software will facilitate design exchange between engineers through element14, which when combined with Premier Farnell’s transactional websites offers a complete online solution to purchasing and design needs. In addition, TechCast tutorial modules on element14 will enable new customers to quickly become familiar with the tool and help them learn how to use it.

The acquisition of CadSoft will give Premier Farnell more tools to help in the design process. These tools include the recent launch of DesignLink, which bridges from the other CAD tools straight to Premier Farnell’s product data, and information. 

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  • To just give you a view from an open source hardware developer perspective:

     

    CadSoft Eagle is very populer for open source hardware - due to its free version. From my point of view some things can be imrpoved:

     

    Prio A (quick & easy wins):

    • Make Eagle open source (probably won't happen)
    • Free &Light Edition should have 4 Layers availlaible (since most modern designs are much easier with 4 layers).
    • Designing with more than one schematics page would be nice (Free & Light Edition)
    • A larger PCB design area would be nice. The licensing is a bit steep in the 'small' versions. You have to shell out a significant amount of money to do an euro card in 4 layers.

     

    Prio B (more work, but still important)

    • The UI is not very user friendly - it needs some work. Mouse interaction are like from the 80s
    • The library management is a hassle - but your Design Connection is perhaps a nice solution. Enable users to share their libraries. Enable Users to give feedback for their libraries (some of mine are sloppy and not usable, some of my parts are well usable by anybody - Users should rate them - I want to include only good libraries/parts by others).
    • BOM management would be nice (and you can make them directly orderable via Farnell).
    • Make it easy to share designs and sub-designs (building blocks) via elemnent14 - that wuold be really nice. Obe licesning schemes (all my stuff is published as Creative Commons - user using my designs should obey that).

     

    What are your plans?

  • in reply to Former Member

    Hi, Thanks for your post. I have passed your questions on to the guys here, hopefully you'll have an answer soon.

     

    Personally I am not involved in the acquisition, but I think Prio B, especially Designlink and BOM management integration would look a good bet

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  • in reply to awinning

    Thanks,

     

    I know it must be an arkward situation. Farnell now owns elemnt14 & CadSoft and everybody is epexcting Eagle improvements from you. But the CadSoft guys will probablyhave their own concerns regarding the aquisition (I was working in a company that was bought some time ago – so I think I know how it feels like).

    But it is nice that you take the community thing serious – and by that you can hopefully show that the community is taking this serious as well.