This forum is a big help to me. I almost got depression because of overthinking too much my struggles at work. How about you? Did Kicad help you in any way?
Well, you should stay away from the development branch (nightlies), then 
Just joking. KiCad is a great software in my toolbox and trying my best to help the developers. Working on a great piece of project with lots of HW/SW and all of the HW side is designed with KiCad.
I work exclusively with Open Source Software. FreeCAD for mechanical design, Inkscape for vector drawing, Gimp for raster manipulation, Git/Lazygit for source control, GCC/Eclipse for embedded software and of course Linux as my OS. I appreciate all of the efforts for all of these software and the countless other OSS I can’t mention right now.
I’ve never been a big fan of open-source software, but KiCad has become an exception. Back in v4 days I was like “Ugh, I have a board to lay out, I will need to fight with KiCad again”, but since the release of v5 it’s been “Oh boy, time to use KiCad again, woohoo!”. Without KiCad I’d have to be spending a lot of money on a paid pro-level tool; it’s essential to my business and livelihood. Looking forward to v6 (but looking forward less to having to upgrade my MacOS to run it).
Yeah, I agree with you! KiCad really helps me as well.
Same me but exceptions beside Kicad like GCC and Gimp become more and more. We all struggle with discontinued components what requires redesign of mature pcbs and it is acceptable if any manufactures stop production of components like small memories. Past decades I mostly used commercial tools and probably none of the users likes copy protection code and subscription licence models. For special purpose, we still maintain offline NT and XP machines what is acceptable but today I received a love letter what results in explicit warning for the use of commercial EDA. With other words: Use FOSS tools where ever its possible and this gets more and more.
Abel is a mature hardware description language today replaced by VHDL and/or Verilog what have many benefits. The developement package for DOS was free from AMD probably minimum up from 1993 up on today with the latest Windows version. Now read what happens and why I love FOSS not regarding some things might a little more complicated than using other EDA:
Dear Customer,
Your ispLever Classic Software License/s issued on 2019-12-15 has the following expiry date: 2020-12-14.
We have implemented a license fee for ispLever Classic rather than remove support. Unfortunately, the cost of maintaining, supporting and distributing the ispLEVER Classic software tools is no longer supported by the silicon sales of the associated products.
As an alternative, you might consider migrating to our MachXO3 family of devices (https://www.latticesemi.com/en/Products/FPGAandCPLD/MachXO3) which are supported through our free Lattice Diamond software tools (https://www.latticesemi.com\LatticeDiamond).
If you want to purchase a license, please contact your Lattice Sales office. For the location nearest you, visit http://www.latticesemi.com/en/Buy/SalesLocator. See ordering part number options below.
LSC-SW-ISPLEVER (ispLEVER Classic 12-month Node-locked Subscription License)
LSC-SW-ISPLEVER-FL (ispLEVER Classic 12-month Floating Subscription License)
If you have already purchased a Software License and received a Serial Number, please visit the licensing page at https://www.latticesemi.com/en/Support/Licensing.
Best Regards,
Lattice License Administrator
Hello. It really does help a lot, to take our minds off of the stress.
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Hi all. Thanks for your responses. As of now, I’m really not sure what I’d do without it. I’m that miserable. LOL I don’t know. It’s just the only thing that makes sense if that makes sense. Everything seems uncertain at work but yeah, I could only hope for the better. It’s the new year already, so it got to be. Anyhow, I read this article just now, not sure if you’ll find it interesting but I did. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/mental-health-non-healthcare.html It’s for employees dealing with stress because of the current situations. Check it out when you get the chance.
Stress has always been around even before corona. I think it’s all about focus. I believe in the law of attraction.
Thank You!
Kicad`s forum helped me a lot too
Whenever I see this topic here, I can’t stop this one from ringing inside my head:
It’s the balalaikas. 
That umbrella though. LOL
I know right? Do you like the Beatles? Their music was one of the best. Wonder if there’s gonna be another like them.
Yes, I do like them and the Queens. I grew up listening to them that’s why hearing them is like home to me.
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