Wanna talk about something other than robots? Really?? Can't understand it myself, but if you really want to, do it here....normal rules apply though!!
I have used Protel 98 in the past and the only thing it has going for it is that it is now free. Try using it for a while and you will see why it's free!
I use it all the time and I like it.
True the auto place is not very good but the auto route is not too bad and I only use it to get an idea if the components are in the best position then I manually route.
The ability to create a ground plane on a side in a single command should appeal to you.
On the small boards I make I have stopped using a ground plane as with home made and etched boards it greatly increases the number of shorts you get.
One of the real problems I had with Protel was the copper pour. Once you've poured it, the only way to delete it is segment by segment. A right royal PITA!
I was however advocating using a solid ground plane on one side of the board, and routing all the tracks on the other side, with wire links as necessary.
So for through-hole boards route on the "solder" side and have a ground plane on the "component" side. For SMT route on the component side (obviously!) and have the ground plane on the "bottom" side.
As far as pouring copper on the signal layer, it should be OK if you increase the spacing rules a bit, but then it might not pour into all the places you want it.
Whilst PCB manufacturers will happily work down to 0.004" (0.1mm) tracks and gaps, I prefer to design to a much more conservative 0.020" (0.5mm) for home-made boards, only resorting to finer geometries when QFP packages need to be used.
As long as you make sure the delete is only on the pologon plane and not a track on the other side it deletes it all in one go on mine. I was really only using the ground plain to reduce the amount of copper to be etched but since I bought the bubble tank it all etches much better so I dont bother.
i have to go down to 0.017" for the motor drive IC but other wise I try to stick to 0.020" for tracks and 0.008" for spacing.
