Eagle "Non commercial Maker License"

[Michael.Smola]

Hi,

I have bought an "Eagle Non Commercial Maker License".

I would like to know, if and how this type of license will be continued!?

best regards

Michael
Munich, Germany

[jorge_garcia]

Hi helgelangen,

Thank you for your feedback. Keep it coming, even though the subscription is none negotiable what it gets you is more flexible. So if this keeps coming up there is a chance something can be done. So keep the 4 layer talk coming.

I also believe that things will be much more favorable if we can get 4 layers on the standard.

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

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@jorge.garcia wrote:
Hi helgelangen,

Thank you for your feedback. Keep it coming, even though the subscription is none negotiable what it gets you is more flexible. So if this keeps coming up there is a chance something can be done. So keep the 4 layer talk coming.

I also believe that things will be much more favorable if we can get 4 layers on the standard.

Best Regards,

---

Definitely.  Remember that the Normal edition previously had 6 signal layers.  This should not have ever been downgraded on the subscription model.  However, if you can't get it negotiated back to 6,  at least try and get it to 4.  (It was 4 signal layers up to v5.x,  then 6 layers for v6.x and 7.x)

[jorge_garcia]

Hi Caitsith2,

We just announced that the standard will be going to 4 layers. See another post on this forum:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/eagle-forum/a-path-forward-for-the-make-license-a-step-up-for-standard...

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[synfinatic]

Hi Jorge,

Since you asked about why people aren't loving the subscription model, here's my honest answer:

So I own two different licenses for Eagle: Maker ($169) and Standard ($69).  Most of my projects are done in Maker because I'm a hobbyist and don't make any money from my work.  I actually went out and bought Standard for one small project because I sold *one* PCB *at cost* ($5) to someone.  If you do the math, you'll notice I lost money on that deal, but I wanted to do as CadSoft asked because I saw them as a good player in the maker community and I didn't want to cheat them. 

It also helped a lot that the licenses were perpetual.  I could amortize my costs over a number of years, choose to upgrade (or not) whenever I felt like it and the upfront fee wasn't that bad since I knew it would last a few years.  I could take into account wether the new features were worth the upgrade.  Perpetual licensing made things easy.  I knew up front exactly what I was going to pay- and I didn't have to worry about paying more money just because I use the software one month or the next.  I didn't have to try to figure out if it was better to pay month-to-month or if pre-paying for the entire year was better.  I just looked at the functionality I needed and decided if I was willing to pay _once_ and then never worried about it again  Easy.  And realistically, I probably didn't have to pay the $69 for Standard (who would know but me?) and I wouldn't be re-upping because I decided I wasn't going to sell any more boards and if I did, why Eagle v7 would be good enough for small boards.

Realize I only use Eagle very sporadically.  Some times I use it almost every day for a few weeks.  Then I'll go months without using it because I'm working on another project (or maybe my real job got in the way).  I bet there are months I've used Eagle for just an hour or two.  I don't want to worry about "is my subscription up to date" each time I launch it and have to pull out my credit card.  Instead of making things easy, you've created a road block (physical as well as mental) for me using your product.  The thought of paying $15 just to make "one little change" is very off-putting.

Assuming I went the easy way (paying the $100/yr) the new licensing will likely end up costing me more money over time compared to the old pricing model.  Now _maybe_ AutoDesk will start releasing updates more often and add features which make it worth it.  Maybe.  Time will tell.  Right now, when I look at Eagle 8, I go "meh".  Honestly, if AutoDesk had shown the Eagle community that they were going to invest heavily in Eagle development and add new features that the users were asking for BEFORE switching to this new model, I suspect the good will you earned would of gone a long way to offset the anger and frustration I and many feel.  Maybe I would of just said "Look, AutoDesk is now doing a major release every 12 months or so and so the $100/yr subscription is like I'm just renewing my perpetual license and it's worth it."  Now of course, it's not really an apples to apples comparison like that, but maybe I could squint and turn my head enough where I could rationalize this change like that.   Instead of adding a killer feature, you gave us subscription licensing... uh, thanks?

What I find I find confusing is that Fusion 360 free for me to use (again for hobbyist purposes or companies making <$100K) but you want $100/year for Eagle?  Why isn't AutoDesk being consistent?  I pretty much see Eagle and Fusion360 being targeted right now for the similar markets (makers & small biz who don't need real "pro" level software (Altium, Solidworks), but need need something competent and functional.  Yes, I understand- Eagle already has a customer base and you think you've got us "locked in" and it's easier to just pay up then switch while Fusion360 was a new product with no existing users.  I suppose time will tell.  Eagle is a fine product, but it's not so awesome that I can't imagine ever switching.  I personally think this change is going to drive a wedge between Eagle and the Maker community and you're going to start seeing a lot more KiCad libraries and tutorials which means new Makers are likely to try KiCad first.

In the past the same could be true of commercial users.  But look how many companies run their service on Linux, Apache, etc.  I remember back in the 90's and Bill Gates would laugh and say "companies want a support contract and a company to stand by their product- nobody would ever use Linux in production!"  And now I work for a company which has well over 100,000 servers all running Linux "in production" and not one Windows box.  Open source/free software is now the new normal.  Yes, people will still pay for good commercial software, but you have to prove you can deliver on features/quality.

That said, Eagle 8 doesn't have any real killer feature that is begging me to upgrade, so I don't need to do anything right now.  Or maybe my next project will be using Diptrace, KiCad or even gEDA.  I honestly don't know, but I do know that I don't look at the subscription model as a good thing and no matter how you spin it as less then a cup of coffee a day (what are you, Sally Struthers trying to save the children???) is going to change that.

Simply put, I as the customer know what I want. No amount of marketing/spin is going to convince me I wan't something else.  It's insulting actually.  I appreciate your honesty that the move to subscription is a done deal, but then again 6 months ago we were told the exact opposite.  So I figure there's a non-zero chance that if I and a lot of other people don't jump on the subscription bandwagon that you'll change back again.

[Michael.Smola]

Okay...I will stay on my 7.7 Version...I am pretty happy with it...let's see how long!?

If I need new features, I have to switch to KiCAD...that would be the end of a lot years of Eagle usage.

Sad...it seems to me that Eagle reached the dawn of being !the! layout tool for the hobby (Maker) scene.

...good bye...

Michael

[edwin.robledo]

Hi Michael,

Autodesk will continue to support the Free version of EAGLE, which, by the way, has changed to an area limitation instead of a fixed size board outline.

Best Regards,

Ed

[Michael.Smola]

Uh...that is interesting:
I have an odd design with a shape of 10mm x 172mm, two layers (Led Stripe), which I couldn't handle with my maker license (160mm x 160mm max)
Is it possible to so with eagle-8-free?
That would be an interesting improvement for me!?
...have fun...
Michi

[jorge_garcia]

Hi Michi,

Yes, you would be able to make that board on the free version of EAGLE.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Hi

I have bought Eagle 7  at Amazon.

This is version “Personal maker LSR standard..”

I got the registration code at small card from CadSoft only and the instruction how to get up and running in Eagle:

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1. download the Eagle at cadsoftusa.com/download-eagle

   ( of course it does not work now but I have found Eagle ver7.7 at your site )

2. Go to shop.cadsoftusa.com/coupon and enter your registration code  EXXXXXXXES

  (it does not work at all ! )

3. Follow the onscreen instruction to complete your registration

4. Your license will be delivered via email within 24 hours

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..that’s all....and what am I to do now..?

I'd like to register this program and to get license file and installation key as I know ..?

thanks

Mark

[Anonymous]

Hi

my previous post should have been send to you...

Mark

[jorge_garcia]

Hi Mark,

I hope you're having a good day. That link at Amazon should have been down weeks ago, we can't process these cards anymore. At this point you'll have to ask the seller for a refund. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

Hi

I see...

Thanks for information...

Mark