Comments on: Automatic Updates for EDA http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/ From an EDA marketing insider Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:42:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Ben http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/#comment-246 Ben Sat, 08 Nov 2008 05:13:49 +0000 http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/?p=22#comment-246 That's odd to hear, I thought it was standard capability these days, even in EDA. We're a small company and our Eclipse tools generate FPGA bitstreams for our SystemBIST configuration device ( http://www.intellitech.com/products/systembist.asp ), our JTAG tools, silicon debuggers and flash programmers all have automatic updates. The updates are fixes, new features or new models. It checks at startup at the user option (some customers are not connected to the internet!) That’s odd to hear, I thought it was standard capability these days, even in EDA. We’re a small company and our Eclipse tools generate FPGA bitstreams for our SystemBIST configuration device ( http://www.intellitech.com/products/systembist.asp ), our JTAG tools, silicon debuggers and flash programmers all have automatic updates. The updates are fixes, new features or new models. It checks at startup at the user option (some customers are not connected to the internet!)

]]> By: JR http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/#comment-232 JR Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:36:41 +0000 http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/?p=22#comment-232 SpectaReg.com provides a Software as a Service (SaaS) EDA tool for register management and it is updated on a regular basis with no update effort required from the user base. SpectaReg.com provides a Software as a Service (SaaS) EDA tool for register management and it is updated on a regular basis with no update effort required from the user base.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/#comment-205 Daniel Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:27:31 +0000 http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/?p=22#comment-205 Altium has their act together on automatic updates, sounds very friendly and intuitive. Well done. Altium has their act together on automatic updates, sounds very friendly and intuitive.

Well done.

]]> By: AED http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/#comment-190 AED Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:53:41 +0000 http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/?p=22#comment-190 This is exactly how Altium handles updates. Each time the application is invoked, it can optionally check for any updtaes. They are downloaded and installed per user control and request. It isn't that hard, just different from the traditional EDA model. This is exactly how Altium handles updates. Each time the application is invoked, it can optionally check for any updtaes. They are downloaded and installed per user control and request.

It isn’t that hard, just different from the traditional EDA model.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/#comment-141 Daniel Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:50:40 +0000 http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/?p=22#comment-141 Links to patches and releases are OK however taking ease-of-use just one step further would: 1) Alert me of a new release after I invoke the tool. 2) Let me click to auto-update. 3) Let me continue working while updating. 4) Let me know when the new version is ready to use. Links to patches and releases are OK however taking ease-of-use just one step further would:

1) Alert me of a new release after I invoke the tool.
2) Let me click to auto-update.
3) Let me continue working while updating.
4) Let me know when the new version is ready to use.

]]> By: Mark Mc http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/#comment-140 Mark Mc Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:41:14 +0000 http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/?p=22#comment-140 Mentor Graphics announces new releases and patches every week in its technical newsletter, SupportPro. All users with current support contracts receive SupportPro (unless they have opted out), and users can customize SupportPro so that they receive release notices and new solutions for just the products they are interested in. SupportPro provides links to download new releases, patches, Release Highlights and Release Notes. Mark Mc Mentor Graphics Mentor Graphics announces new releases and patches every week in its technical newsletter, SupportPro.

All users with current support contracts receive SupportPro (unless they have opted out), and users can customize SupportPro so that they receive release notices and new solutions for just the products they are interested in. SupportPro provides links to download new releases, patches, Release Highlights and Release Notes.

Mark Mc
Mentor Graphics

]]> By: Cliff Wiener http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/#comment-139 Cliff Wiener Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:41:05 +0000 http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/?p=22#comment-139 Analog Rails gives the user the ability to update when launching the tool. We release next week. Analog Rails gives the user the ability to update when launching the tool. We release next week.

]]> By: MagicMark http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/#comment-104 MagicMark Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:43:21 +0000 http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/?p=22#comment-104 Our company does exactly what you have described. We do frequent updates and enhancements, available to all users. We notify users by email that the update is available, listing bug fixes and new features. Users can download the new release. In most cases they can "roll back" the the previous release if necessary. Mark M at Micro Magic. Our company does exactly what you have described.
We do frequent updates and enhancements, available to all users.
We notify users by email that the update is available, listing bug fixes and new features.
Users can download the new release. In most cases they can “roll back” the the previous release if necessary.
Mark M at Micro Magic.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/#comment-103 Daniel Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:13:59 +0000 http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/?p=22#comment-103 I like that frequency of updates every six weeks because it tells me that a lot innovation is still happening in that product. I can recall some EDA clients in Japan and Taiwan had substantial QA regression suites and ran them every new release and nailed us when we still had blatant bugs. I like that frequency of updates every six weeks because it tells me that a lot innovation is still happening in that product.

I can recall some EDA clients in Japan and Taiwan had substantial QA regression suites and ran them every new release and nailed us when we still had blatant bugs.

]]> By: JohnB http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/2008/08/13/automatic-updates-for-eda/#comment-102 JohnB Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:00:39 +0000 http://www.chipdesignmag.com/payne/?p=22#comment-102 Updates every six weeks or so, unless you need a fix for a show-stopper. Our internal qualification of the release is not as rigorous as I'd like. For mission-critical jobs like STA sign-off, we may be very conservative about changing versions, unless we know the version in use is "broke". Updates every six weeks or so, unless you need a fix for a show-stopper. Our internal qualification of the release is not as rigorous as I’d like. For mission-critical jobs like STA sign-off, we may be very conservative about changing versions, unless we know the version in use is “broke”.

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