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PCD&F: If you don’t charge for it, how do you ensure that someone inside Cadence will want to maintain it?
JM: That’s why we expect it to take on a life of its own. Driving this is the hope to make Capture more sticky to users by allowing them to download and customize their environment.
PCD&F: If I’m an individual user and within a large OEM, can I still customize?
JM: If you know enough about Capture or how to write basic Tcl programming, you can customize your output, or BoM, or automate a feature just for your use. This is independent of your CAD support group. The benefit for bigger customers who have, through Skill, customized PCB Editor so that it doesn’t even look like PCB Editor anymore. I can see that same kind of augmentation.
PCD&F: How useful is the language when written by different users of diff nationalities?
JM: Everything is in English. It’s not a primary language for everyone in the world, of course, but because Capture is in English, they would have some experience with the language. Unlike a mobile device, all the apps will be related to some feature or function of OrCAD Capture.
PCD&F: Will every app have a movie?
JM: That’s actually one of our goals. As a minimum requirement we want each app to have a movie to help explain what it is and how it works, so people can figure it out without having to go into it blind. We have already ones for apps to develop custom BoM, annotation for test points, those things people already are generally familiar with.
PCD&F: Of the apps in the store, how much will be user-driven, vs. Cadence developed?
JM: Initially, all the apps will come from Cadence and our channel partners. Some partners already supply modules for Capture and PCB Editor. Cadence R&D are actively engaged in creating apps for this launch, developing features and functions that they had in the backs of their minds and now have an outlet for. Going forward, we expect customers will get involved in this. We already see this from those customers that create specialized features and apps to change and make their apps fit to offer.
Also, anything we provide will be freeware and open to users, so they can take it and make it their own.
PCD&F: Will Cadence vet submissions?
JM: We’re still a bit away from the launch, and are still putting together criteria for IP creators to ensure whatever goes up on the site does what it is supposed to. It’s not so different from the Skill repository sites we have online today. Customers today can go onto those support sites and download Skill enhancements and functions from that site. It’s a lot like that, but we are putting it into the tool, so you don’t have to leave the tool. It wasn’t the same to put them on the support page. This gives everyone immediate and embedded access when they need it the most.
PCD&F: How does Tcl differ from Skill?
JM: Tcl is an industry language; it’s a basic programming language. It’s very straightforward. The scripts for creating pages and apps basically make sense. The commands, GUI objects, database objects: all have some Tcl API that marries the language with the command, so you can query and output the language. So if you understand BASIC and how Skill interacts with PCB Editor, it shouldn’t be a great leap to work in Tcl.
PCD&F: When will the online store be available to users?
JM: By the end of the second quarter.
