From: kraken.sankey@gmail.com   
      
   On 16/01/2026 23:16, Don Y wrote:   
   > On 1/16/2026 2:39 PM, Theo wrote:   
   >> The full Altium is ~$7k pa so uncheap just for generating plots.   
   >   
   > I am always amused at how "cheap" engineers are when it comes   
   > to software tools -- despite the amount of TIME (which is money)   
   > usually saved.   
   >   
   > E.g., What would a SPICE license be worth -- at your current billable   
   > rate -- to avoid having to construct and probe some number (likely   
   > a very small number!) of prototypes to ascertain their behaviors,   
   > if you had to "simulate them with real hardware"!?   
   >   
   > Granted, one can farm out a board layout and save the trouble of having   
   > to learn how to use such a tool -- PROFICIENTLY.  But, one can farm out   
   > a lot of activities that somehow seem justified to take on, internally!   
   >   
   > (E.g., I no longer build prototypes as it's "grunt work" -- even for   
   > a grunt!  Easier to find someone who has the expertise to make them   
   > "in production quantities" and get a heads up on any issues with the   
   > design before RTM.)   
      
   I'm long since retired on a pensioners budget. No way can I afford ANY   
   fancy software.   
      
      
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