( ESNUG 448 Item 4 ) -------------------------------------------- [11/11/05]
From: John Cooley <jcooley=user domain=zeroskew spot gone>
Subject: For Those Who May Have Missed It -- "Synopsys vs. its Rivals"
I'd appreciate it if you took 3 minutes to answer these questions about
Synopsys vs. its rivals. They're mostly quick multiple choice and yes,
I'll publish the results. Thanks for helping.
- John Cooley
ESNUG/DeepChip.com
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0. If you need to be anonymous, say "Make Me Anon" here.
1. In your opinion, how does Design Compiler rank against its rivals
Cadence Get2chip, Ambit, Synplicity ASIC, Magma Blast Create,
Incentia in your eyes? Which synthesis are you using now?
2. What do you think of Synopsys local support in your area? (choose
one) Pretty good, so-so to mixed, or pretty bad? Are they around
after you've bought their tool (Y or N)? Are they helpful (Y or N)?
3. What do you think about the Synopsys self-help SolvNET web support?
(choose one) Useful, mixed, or waste-of-time? What's SolvNET's
article quality like? (choose one) Generally good, somewhat mixed,
mostly a waste of time? Do you usually try SolvNET before phoning
Synopsys support (Y or N)?
4. What dou you think about the Synopsys DFT Compiler/TetraMAX vs.
Mentor DFT Advisor/Fastscan battle? Who's winning? Who's losing?
What about Mentor TestKompress vs. Synopsys DFT Compiler MAX?
5. At San Jose SNUG, Aart claimed that Astro had gained "2X Capacity"
In your experience, is this (choose) real or marketing hype?
Aart also claimed PhysOpt was now "2X faster with 2X capacity".
(choose) Real or hype?
6. Because this is a weird 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 niche, I have to ask that you
please select the right question for your company below:
a.) In the next 12 months as an old PhysOpt/Astro user, for our
production P&R flow my company will most likely (choose one)
- keep using old PhysOpt/Astro.
- upgrade to new IC Compiler.
- switch to Magma or Cadence.
b.) In the next 12 months as an old Magma Blast Fusion user, for
our production P&R flow my company will most likely (choose one)
- keep using old Blast Fusion.
- upgrade to new Cobra.
- switch to Cadence or Synopsys.
c.) In the next 12 months as an old Cadence SoC Encounter user, for
our production P&R flow my company will most likely (choose one)
- keep using old SoC Encounter.
- upgrade to new Encounter GXL.
- switch to Synopsys or Magma.
7. Aart also claimed that Jupiter-XT now has "2X capacity, 2X faster
IPO, 1.3X faster virtual flat" than earlier versions of Jupiter.
(choose) real or hype? How does Jupiter-XT rate vs. Cadence First
Encounter vs. Magma Blast PlanPro?
8. Avanti Hercules, Mentor Calibre, Cadence Diva/Dracula/Assura: who
is ahead and who is behind? Which DRC/LVS do you use? What do you
think about Hercules vs. the new Magma Mojave and new Cadence PVS?
9. How do you rate the Synopsys Users Group which meets every year
in San Jose, CA versus its equivalent Magma/Cadence/Mentor users
groups (choose one) -- better, equal, or worst? Why?
10. How do you feel about the Synopsys sales force? Do they talk to
you or are they only interested in your VP of Engineering? Do
they help you through problems year round or only when there's a
potential sale in the works? Going from GREAT to HORRIBLE please
rank the Synopsys sales staff equal to (choose one)
- "Please Marry my daughter!" good friends (or)
- Helpful friends (or)
- Helpful business acqaintances (or)
- Indifferent Department store cashiers (or)
- Used Car salesmen (or)
- Con artists just a few steps ahead of the law (or)
- Congressmen and/or convicted con-artists
11. Most of the time when you call the Synopsys Hotline, do you feel
that you get access to (choose one) knowlegable experts, or people
with average skills, or the truly inept?
12. Aart claimed in his keynote that Star-RCXT is now "5X faster"; in
your experience is this real or B.S.? How does Star-RCXT, Cadence
Simplex Fire&Ice, Mentor xCalibre, and Sequence rank in your eyes?
13. Do you use "power tools" like Synopsys Power Compiler and
PrimePower? How do they fare vs. Sequence Power Theatre?
14. How about IR drop tools like Synopsys AstroRail, Magma BlastRail,
Cadence Simplex VoltageStorm? How about noise tools like
PrimeTime-SI vs. CeltIC? Who is ahead? Who is behind?
15. Do you use NanoSim, Nassda HSIM, Avanti HSPICE, Cadence Spectre, or
Mentor Eldo? How do they rank against each other in your eyes?
16. A voodoo priestess formerly from New Orleans swaps your soul with
Aart de Geus, the CEO of Synopsys. Even though you were a Synopsys
customer before, now that *you* are the new CEO of Synopsys:
What 2 or 3 things about Synopsys would you DEFINITELY change?
What 2 or 3 things about Synopsys would you definitely NOT change?
17. Overall, how do you rank Synopsys vs. the other EDA companies you've
dealt with? (choose one) Far better, far worst, about average?
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