Out in Front: November 23, 1995

Cadence Design Systems has entered the electronic-design-automation-tools-on-Windows arena with a version of Allegro, the company's pc-board-layout product. Allegro on Windows targets high-complexity, low- to medium-speed board designs with complex physical rules and moderate electrical constraints. The tool encompasses about 60 to 70% of the functionality of Cadence's more feature-rich Unix-based Allegro CBD product but costs significantly less.

The standard Allegro on Windows features a comprehensive set of physical-design rule checks, interactive and automatic component placement, shape-based autorouting, dimensioning and drafting, design-for-testability and -manufacturability checks, and a set of mechanical and manufacturing interfaces. Allegro takes advantage of the look and feel of Windows, which makes the tool easier to learn and apply than similar Unix-based pc-board-layout systems. The Unix and Windows versions of Allegro have compatible libraries and databases.

Allegro for Windows runs on NT and Windows 95. It's available from The Team Corp for $23,995. You can buy it from Team through the end of 1995 for a promotional price of $15,000. A Unix-based version of Allegro with features similar to those of Allegro for Windows will be available in 1996.
-- by Jim Lipman

Cadence Design Systems, San Jose, CA. (408) 943-1234.

The Team Corp, San Jose, CA. (408) 437-1313.