Online schematic editor at Digikey

[dano12]

http://www.digikey.com/schemeit

[Ice-9]

Looks interesting, good find 

[dano12]

While not a replacement for a dedicated editor, it seems pretty full featured.

I think the fact that it allows you to share static and live schematics would be a nice tool for sharing ideas, and maybe even collaboration.

From their help section:

Export Image
The "Export" button, located inside the "Main" application tab, allows you to export your current project as a .png image file. This is useful if you want include a picture of your project in reports, forum postings, blog posting, etc.

Share Project
The "Share" button, located inside the "Main" application tab, allows you to create and email a public web-link of your project. The web-link contains an exported image inside a web page that is viewable in a standard web browser. Viewing this web-link does not require registration or special permission so beware that anyone can view your project if this link is shared

[jrod]

Neato! Thanks!

[radio]

Waou

Guess you can't do that easier! 

Regards JM

[amptramp]

Read item 8 of the terms and conditions.  You have to own the design, meaning if you draw a schematic to a fuzz face or tube screamer, you have violated this term.  Also in item 8, they own anything you design, so if you have a super neat way of doing something like modulating a phaser and you draw it in their application, they own it and can put it in the public domain if they want.  Having been at two companies who suffered because they did not read the fine print on a contract, I became the de facto contracts officer and I can tell you, this kind of stuff matters.

[defaced]

Damn, thems some terms! Good eye!  I can't say I would have used the editor (I'm pretty proficient with Eagle), but that's a gnarly clause that will keep me from using it. 

For posterity:

8. Rights to End User Content. By posting, uploading, or transmitting any data or other content on or through the Application, or causing any data or content to be posted, uploaded, or transmitted on or through the Application (the "End User Content"): (i) you represent and warrant that you are the owner of the End User Content and/or that you have the right to grant the licenses to Digi-Key contained in this Agreement; and (ii) you grant to Digi-Key a fully-paid, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, transferrable, sublicensable, non-exclusive, worldwide license to use the End User Content (in whole or in part) for any and all purposes, subject to the terms of the Digi-Key Privacy Policy, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference. Digi-Key may use End User Content for marketing and market research and for other purposes as set forth in this Agreement.

[chi_boy]

Damn, thems some terms! Good eye!  I can't say I would have used the editor (I'm pretty proficient with Eagle), but that's a gnarly clause that will keep me from using it. 

For posterity:

8. Rights to End User Content. By posting, uploading, or transmitting any data or other content on or through the Application, or causing any data or content to be posted, uploaded, or transmitted on or through the Application (the "End User Content"): (i) you represent and warrant that you are the owner of the End User Content and/or that you have the right to grant the licenses to Digi-Key contained in this Agreement; and (ii) you grant to Digi-Key a fully-paid, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, transferrable, sublicensable, non-exclusive, worldwide license to use the End User Content (in whole or in part) for any and all purposes, subject to the terms of the Digi-Key Privacy Policy, the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference. Digi-Key may use End User Content for marketing and market research and for other purposes as set forth in this Agreement.

Don't they call that "The Vaseline Clause?"  Or is it the "No Vaseline for You Clause."

That is truly brutal, and unbelievable.  I can't believe they would have the audacity to include that, but that's lawyers for you.

[dano12]

Wow, good catch. That is some truly odious and heavy-handed text right there.

I'll write them an email today and try to point out the folly of their ways. Who knows....

[alparent]

Nothing free my friend!
If you want something "stolen"........put it on the internet.

Same thing for Facebook and the likes........
Never forget that the driving force behind all this is $$$$.

[dano12]

This is simultaneously amazing and farcical. Digikey spends money designing, implementing, testing and hosting a quite nice schematic editor. From a business standpoint, it makes sense:

1. Allow potential and existing customers to draw, edit and share schematics.
    Result: the Digikey site becomes more "sticky". More users spend more time there. WIN.

2. Build it in a way that allows sharing. So Bob sees a schematic on some forum or blog, created with the
    Digikey tool, learns about Digikey, and may go there to look for parts.
    Result: the Digikey site attracts new visitors and offers inherent inducements for those visitors to be come customers.

3. Integrate a bill of materials tab, thereby reducing the number of steps a potential customer has to take from design
    to parts purchase.
    Result: Ease of use and streamlining of processes = more sales

4. Send the new software off to Legal for review.
    Result: Nullification of all intended benefits, items 1-3 above become moot, customers leave.

It it like a Fellini movie.

[The Tone God]

To be honest I don't see anything that wrong. Most of that is just to protect Digikey themselves.

The first part is to make sure that if you use the tool for something that is illegal you swear to Digikey that it isn't and therefore Digikey is absolved of liability in the case of if someone comes along deciding to sue everyone one possible involved.

The second part is so someone doesn't sue them after using the tool to make something. The user can say they want the data back and compensation from Digikey having that data. You basically give permission for Digikey to have that data.

The third part is it will allow MBA'ers to collect data about whats selling and so forth much like when you fill out a warranty card with lots of useless question, its marketing data they want.

This tool is just Digikey's version of the free PCB software that many board houses offer which is that they give you tool that is linked to them so you use their goods and services.

I really think people are overacting. I've seem similar if not worse things in the standard "terms of agreement" that people click on at the majority of forums to join. And heaven's forbid if you a EULA of some software.

Andrew

[egasimus]

And heaven's forbid if you a EULA of some software.

True that! I remember the time when I accidentally a whole EULA. That hurt for weeks.

[amptramp]

Not so fast.

No names can be added after a lawsuit is filed and if a Fuzz Face schematic shows up on their site, they are in possession of stolen property regardless of whether they made their clients promise that they own the design.  A statement that the user owns the design eliminates a lot of possible business - but not the legal problems.  And in paragraph 12, you agree to indemnify Digikey for any legal problem.

The issue of data ownership is rather important.  They can do what they want with the design data and if you come up with something that would be valuable, you don't have exclusive ownership of it.  If Digikey wants to get into the kit business, you have given them the right to offer a kit of parts to your design and you have no intellectual property protection.

This is a different situation from having you download a schematic capture package - the software resides on the net and your data files are in the custody of Digikey.  I would prefer to download a package which resides on my own computer so I have the application and all the files associated with it.  It's not as if there isn't a better answer out there.

[J M Fahey]

I suggest you download and use Express PCB´s schematic editor.
Free to use, works well.
I use it to draw the small circuit snippets I post sometimes .
They are not fools, they expect you to use it to ultimately design PCBs which can only be ordered from them, but that´s fine with me.
But if I don´t order from them, my work is still mine.
And any intermediate product, such as a schematic or even a PCB artwork, I keep it in my own computer for any reasonable use (including making a kitchen table prototype using iron-on transfer).
And if it turns out good, they sure are first in the line of my potential Commercial PCB suppliers. WIN
If for no other reason, because I won´t want to designn again from the ground up, but use what has already proven successful.
But the Digikey product, being online, is in *their* computer even before I get my copy !!!
Up yours, Gentlemen !! FAIL

[jesbol]

We apologize for any inconvenience and frustration the Terms and Conditions of the new Scheme-It has caused for anyone. These have been reviewed and updated to reflect a more user friendly experience. The language and the terms have been adjusted. Customer feedback helps us continue to offer the best user experience, so thank you.

Digi-Key

[dano12]

We apologize for any inconvenience and frustration the Terms and Conditions of the new Scheme-It has caused for anyone. These have been reviewed and updated to reflect a more user friendly experience. The language and the terms have been adjusted. Customer feedback helps us continue to offer the best user experience, so thank you.

Digi-Key

Wow. Thanks for the update. I reviewed the new Terms and Conditions, looks a lot more reasonable.

Thanks especially for referencing Fair Use.

Top marks!