Free Is Right Price In Hard Times

June 4, 2009
Many high-frequency companies are reconsidering their cost structures in recent months, trying to work with customers on pricing plans or payment packages to help maintain a healthy level of business. But nothing beats giving a product away for free. For ...

Many high-frequency companies are reconsidering their cost structures in recent months, trying to work with customers on pricing plans or payment packages to help maintain a healthy level of business. But nothing beats giving a product away for free. For the sixth time, Sonnet Software has prepared a full free release version of its popular Sonnet Lite (now Version 12) electromagnetic (EM) simulation softwarean excellent tool for students and engineers to learn about applying EM simulation software to their designs.

Admittedly, this version is limited to about 1 MB of random access memory size for files, which restricts it to small problems such as transmission lines. This is not the software to use for larger problems or for full-scale simulations But it does embody many of the features of the fully functional Sonnet Professional Suite of EM software tools, and serves as a no-obligation introduction to EM simulation. In fact, more than a few working engineers still rely on "freeware" or free downloads of software to analyze their designs, and the various versions of Sonnet Lite have long served as fine training tools for those wishing to learn more about EM simulation.

About the Author

Jack Browne | Technical Contributor

Jack Browne, Technical Contributor, has worked in technical publishing for over 30 years. He managed the content and production of three technical journals while at the American Institute of Physics, including Medical Physics and the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. He has been a Publisher and Editor for Penton Media, started the firm’s Wireless Symposium & Exhibition trade show in 1993, and currently serves as Technical Contributor for that company's Microwaves & RF magazine. Browne, who holds a BS in Mathematics from City College of New York and BA degrees in English and Philosophy from Fordham University, is a member of the IEEE.

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