rminnich@super.super.org (Ronald G Minnich) (05/18/89)
Well it looks like we can get a cad system in at SRC if we can name one. I was hoping that somewhere out on the net someone could give me a name. We are looking for a cad system to design boards, boxes, and systems with standard parts (74xxx and maybe MC10xxx?) and gate arrays; full-custom is not in the cards at the moment but might be. We want to be able to simulate and VHDL support would be nice. We have a Zycad here and some path from the CAD system to the Zycad would be nice too, but we feel the quality of the system is much more important than whether it supports the Zycad or not. In other words, we don't want to buy a crummy CAD system just because it supports the Zycad. I haven't really looked at CAD systems for a couple of years, so of course am totally out of touch with all the good things that have been happening. The most recent demo i got was on an HP system, but of course that runs only on HP boxes and we have Suns here. Something like the HP system would be nice. We won't buy HP boxes just to run their cad, however. We want to use the Sun 3/60s on people's desks. We have a single license for Valid, but no one really likes it that much. We do have some ViewLogic proponents. We only have ViewLogic on a PC. Our most important requirements 0) Graphical interface. I shouldn't have to say this, but we just had a vendor in who doesn't suport it! 1) Runs on Sun 3s. The smallest machine would be a 3/60. We are getting 3/80s and a batch of 4/60s. 2) X windows are preferred. It would be even nicer if parts of the system could run on our Cray and display on the Sun, but i kind of doubt anyone is doing that ... 3) Standard parts library. I mention this only because a vendor was just here and showed us their system, which won't have a standard parts library or schematic capture. I can't believe anyone is still doing this ... 4) Support for gate array design. 5) Support for high-level modelling. 6) Ability to define data types. 7) Ability to lay out a board. Not pc-board layout, but chip layout for a board to be wire-wrapped or shipped out for Multiwire. We have done both already. 8) Simulation with the usual sort of logic-analyzer like displays. Any help anyone could give will be welcome. If there is sufficient interest I will summarize to the net, but please e-mail directly. I just can't keep up with these lists anymore ... Thanks very much in advance, ron rminnich@super.org