Without anything in particular to build, I set straight in to a simple multivibrator to put it through its paces, and then for something a little more complex an analogue mixer with a ground plane. My hastily-assembled 2N3904, with join-the-dots outline. That learning curve I mentioned was largely absent, and though not everything is in quite the same place, the workflow and methods are similar enough to get started without any problems. The first impression of the interface is that it’s much simpler and more intuitive than its open-source competitors, as a former Eagle user who’s never found herself completely at ease with KiCAD I immediately felt at home. When starting a test project, you’re required to set up libraries before it’s straight into the schematic editor, with as expected an easy flip between that and the layout editor. Installation on the Ubuntu system here was intuitive and easy, with selecting directories a straightforward process. It’s refreshing to see for a project still early in its gestation, that the LibrePCB team have made an effort to provide a seamless installer rather than relying on a git command or a compressed archive. Getting To Know LibrePCB The schematic editor in action, with my simple op-amp mixer as a test project. It’s time to download it and run it through its paces, to see whether it’s ready to serve its purpose. LibrePCB brought out its first official release a little over a year ago, and now stands at version 0.1.3 with builds for GNU/Linux, Windows, MacOS, and FreeBSD. This GPL-licensed package has only been in development for a few years. There is however another contender in the world of open-source PCB CAD, in the form of the up-and-coming LibrePCB. Both KiCad and gEDA are venerable packages with legions of devoted fans, but it is fair to say that they both present a steep learning curve for newcomers. It’s a field in which most of the players are commercial, and for the open-source devotee there have traditionally been only two choices. There are a host of PCB CAD tools at the disposal of the electronic designer from entry-level to multi-thousand-dollar workstation software.
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