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From: rick@ameristar (Rick Spanbauer)
Newsgroups: comp.lsi,comp.lsi.cad,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: VLSI Design Tools on PCs
Message-ID: <1990Jul27.145255.4742@ameristar>
Date: 27 Jul 90 14:52:55 GMT
References: <38395@sequent.UUCP> <610@garth.UUCP>
Organization: Ameristar Technology, Inc
Lines: 14

>At DAC, I saw ISS, Integrated Silicon Systems, with a PC based IC layout
>system.  Seat cost is 20K, but for a PC, it comes with a graphics card

I am curious why anyone would go to the trouble of doing IC design
on a PC.  It would seem that unless one is designing $450 Mosis Tiny
Chips, the fab costs for just one run approach the cost of a workstation, 
ie if one has the dollars for fab (several runs usually), then it would 
seem the workstation cost wouldn't be a problem.  Or is it the case that 
commercial IC design software is just cheaper on PCs as it is for eg PCB
design software?

					Rick Spanbauer
					Ameristar