List of software for an electronic workstation - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: asgard20032
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2015, 03:59:43 pm
content: Hi, I am trying to figure out what shall I install on my electronic workstation, and why not also doing a list. The everyone is in quote, because everyone has their software preference, so this list is more like a suggestion of the best software out there. Software on this list shall be either free or very cheap.PCB / schematic (at least one of those)- Eagle free edition (with an upgrade, if needed, to either light edition if wanting to do small commercial project, or hobbyist edition to do bigger thing)- KiCadSimulator- LTSpice (analog simulation, not the easiest one to use, but one of the best out there)- Multisim (general purpose simulator, blue edition is free, but sponsored by mouser, or student edition)PC (communication/Interface builder/Processing, general purpose programming)- Python- Labview student (20$)- Matlab (can't really recommend, cost a lot)Oscilloscope/Logic analyzer/Network analyzer- Check for program to use your sound card as oscilloscope (better off to buy a standalone oscilloscope, but this is a list of software...)- Saleae (Require the purchase of a saleae, but worth it when working in digital)- Wireshark (network analyzer)Terminal program- Tera Term- PuTTY- Minicom (linux)- Screen (linux)Inventory system- Any spreadsheet program (Gnumeric and Libreoffice are free, could also use a web spreadsheet trough Google docs or Microsoft OneDrive)- A wiki system from the list of note-taking software- A database like Access or Libreoffice equivalentNote-taking software- OneNote- Evernote- Gnote/Tomboy (personal wiki)- Zim (another personal wiki)- Wikipad (another personal wiki)- TiddlyWiki (personal wiki trough web browser)Web browser- Firefox- ChromePDF reader (How could we read datasheet without that)- Firefox/chrome- Adobe readerImage editor- GimpMultimedia- Audacity (useful to analyze some audio file before/after processing)- VLC (be ready to play every file)Suggest me more

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 02, 2015, 01:07:24 pm
content: PDF reade:Sumatra. Reads PDFs and many more documents. Free and fast and lightweigth.

author: f5r5e5d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2015, 06:32:43 pm
content: Octave is a free Matlab workalike - can run most m-filesI use SciLab which isn't quite as fully Matlab compatible but has better GUIComputer Algebra System software is a useful category sometimes EE work uses equations in symbolic form - I used to use Mathcad ver 11 which was the last to use the Maple symbolic enginehaven't been as happy with any free sw option for symbolic math - GeoGebra looks are aimed at elementary/middle/high school level but in fact has a CAS window - uses Giac but maybe not to its full capability - XCAS is the Giac GUI sw for all of its functionalitySage Math is daunting, wraps python around (too many) open source math packages - some very obscure to the EE - but does include Maxima, sympyMaxima is also available as wxMaxima

author: owiecc
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2015, 06:45:25 pm
content: MATLAB has a home license now. Pretty good value. This is being discussed right now here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/scilab-vs-octave-(for-control-systems-design)/Student license is even more affordable.I would add some kind of PCB calculator to the list (vias, current handling, etc.).A programmer's editor would be nice: TextMate or Sublime TextGit or other version control system.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2015, 06:47:56 pm
content: Quote from: asgard20032 on February 01, 2015, 03:59:43 pmOne approach is to only install something when you actually need it.The benefit of making a list in advance is that it could help you determine what operating system is most approriate for your requirements.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2015, 07:43:14 pm
content: +1 for Sumatra PDF.I can't speak for Chrome, but the Firefox pdf reader isgarbagenot that good. Adobe Acrobat continues to be a security problem.

author: andtfoot
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 02, 2015, 08:18:16 pm
content: For terminal programs, I usually use Tera Term and Realterm.Tera Term higher level console stuff, and Realterm for lower level interface stuff (read/write hex, see state of pins, etc).

author: briselec
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2015, 02:12:15 am
content: Have a look at sigrokhttp://sigrok.org/wiki/Main_PageIt's a signal analysis software suite for various devices

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2015, 09:32:57 am
content: Quote from: briselec on February 03, 2015, 02:12:15 amIt fails the 30s test.I can't determine within 30s whether it does anything that would be useful to me. Lots of stuff about how to build it, but nothing about the benefit to me if I did build it. Even a few screenshots would be useful.

author: hamster_nz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2015, 10:06:17 am
content: Dia, for drawing diagrams. Cheaper than Visio.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2015, 04:05:05 am
content: You need to script two buttons on the desktop.One orders a pizza and the other orders <your fav energy drink>

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2015, 04:06:59 am
content: Quote from: tggzzz on February 03, 2015, 09:32:57 amIt's a library, it doesn't have screenshots.Try GUI frontendPulseView.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2015, 09:38:35 am
content: Quote from: c4757p on February 04, 2015, 04:06:59 amAccording to the first line sigrok is not a library, it is a software suite, viz "sigrok project aims at creating a portable, cross-platform, Free/Libre/Open-Source signal analysis software suite"If it was only a library, a lack of screenshots would be reasonable.Nonetheless, sigrock still fails the 30s test, which is anunnecessaryshame.QuoteSomewherevery visiblethey could (and should if the want to pass the 30s test) have links to examples of packages using the library. For example the one you have provided, without too much hard work!

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 04, 2015, 12:00:39 pm
content: Quote from: asgard20032 on February 01, 2015, 03:59:43 pmMake sure you try DipTrace, it's every bit as good as those are, except it doesn't have retarded/complicated interfaces like those do, which makes it better.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2015, 10:26:21 pm
content: I'm always surprised by the amounts of setups I need to run on a new Windows.This:https://ninite.com/And:https://code.google.com/p/pythonxy/Maybe:https://www.cygwin.com/(I don't like it that I have to manually select all the packages that are to be installed)If you like it:http://www.getpaint.net/Syncback is nice if you have a NAS.You forgotNotepad++!SourceTree for your Git's.Greenshot.Qt for your apps.There is so much....I also use AutoHotkey to add some features to Windows. Like the F1 key for a new folder,ctrl+win+mouse to paste the most recently opened Explorer path, the Win+X menu of WindowsFail8 in Windows 7,ctrl+alt+h to toggle hidden files and the multimedia keys my keyboards lacks.