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----- Original Message -----
From: Hellwig Geisse
To: f...@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 4:34 PM
Subject: Re: [fpga-cpu] Suggestions re: Free Tools
On Fri, 2007-08-24 at 16:17 +0100, Leon wrote:

> Symphony is very good, the free version might do what you want:
>
> http://www.symphonyeda.com/

May I quote from their site?

---------------------------------------------

FREE edition: The download ships with a default license file to enable
the FREE edition. If you download Version 3.0, use the Licensing Wizard
(available after installation) to download a free license. This FREE
license file that ships with Version 3.1 expires on October 1 2007.
Newer builds/releases may extend the FREE licenses beyond this date.
Existing users can use the Licensing Wizard to extend their FREE license
or download and install the newest build and copy over the file
/bin/freelic.txt to /bin/symphony.lic.

Standard/Professional Editions: Requires a license purchase. Your
license file is issued via the Licensing Wizard that is launched from
within Sonata -- the Graphical User Interface.

Trial or Demo mode: Enables standard edition or the professional edition
for a limited amount of time. By default it allows an evaluation period
of 21 days.

----------------------------------------------

So it is neither (unlimited) free nor even open source.
I'm not convinced.
The free version works OK for me, the limitations won't matter for many
users and a full license isn't all that expensive. I don't know of anything
else with the same capabilities, that is available for nothing. It isn't all
that onerous to have to download a new license every six months.

Leon


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