I went to a Mentor Graphics sales pitch "training" session a few years ago. They wanted $100k for their software then. I have no idea what they want today. I ended up going with Protel Design Explorer 99SE. It was an $8500 package. I didn't pay that for it, but I did cough up some kilo-bucks for this software.

Within a matter of months Protel introduced Design Explorer DXP, which they would have gladly upgraded me to for a few more kilo-bucks, and it wasn't too many more months after that when they were bought out by Altium. They have since introduced more newer versions that I have not kept up with for lack of need and interest. What I do know is that today, just a few short years after coughing up kilo-bucks for their software, the only two things Altium (formerly Protel) will say to me is that they will gladly sell me new software for many kilo-bucks, and that they will no longer support Design Explorer 99SE.

And don't think it would be any different with any other EDA software producer. If you aren't prepared to give them thousands and thousands of dollars each and every year, then you aren't their customer.

Years ago you could buy Lotus 123 for about $750 if memory serves. And if you wanted to make graphs, that was an extra $700. The ability to print with fonts required an extra $700 module, as did the ability to print in landscape mode. The point is that to get their whole package cost a couple thousand dollars. Then one day a company named Borland put out a spreadsheet package called Quattro Pro. It came with all the extra bells and whistles built in, standard. All the extra modules that cost extra with Lotus 123 were included in the standard Quattro Pro package. And Quattro Pro cost $99 retail. It wasn't long before Lotus 123 was out of business.

The same thing is happening to Altium and Cadence and Mentor Graphics. And while I don't take pleasure in seeing anyone's downfall, neither can I cry for those who bring it upon themselves.

I don't care how much money their customers make with their software. Their software isn't worth tens of thousands of dollars per year. There are others who will gladly provide the same product for much much less. And if you are producing a product that your customers need, and you're gouging them because you believe that they have no choice but to buy your product, then someone will eventually offer the same thing for less and you too will be out of both business and luck. And I won't cry for you either.