(ICU 04 Item 16 ) ----------------------------------------------- [10/07/04]
Subject: Users Rate Cadence Overall
LIFE HAS GOTTEN BETTER: Yea, you'll see a whole bunch of customers rating
Cadence as "average", but if you read the comments closely you'll see a few
that say a whole lot more -- that they rate Cadence as "average" now but
a few years earlier they would have rated it as "worst". That is, Cadence
has been getting better over the past few years.
Overall, how do you rank Cadence vs. the other EDA companies you've
dealt with? (Choose one) Far better, far worst, about average?
Far better: ########### 21%
About average: ############################ 56%
Far worst: ############ 23%
Better than Mentor
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Above average
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For custom design, one of the best.
For physical verifications, could be better.
For digital design, about average.
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Worse, Cadence is a big bureaucracy where the left hand and right hand
don't communicate and the customer just gets slapped by both.
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Cadence sales and AE support is better than other EDA companies in
the Midwest.
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Cadence tools before FE were slightly worst. With FE, Cadence tools are
on par and slightly better than tools from other EDA companies.
The Common Timing Engine continues to be a problem.
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Average. They have the products we need but the support is bad.
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About average. Better than Synopsys, but worse than Magma.
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Right now, I'd say about average. A few years ago I would have said
below average.
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In the past year or so, I see a shift in mentality. Synopsys is becoming
the old stoggy company, slow to change and defensive; Cadence is assuming
more of a startup mentality, with new ideas, aggressive. This is good.
Because of this, I rate Cadence as better than Synopsys but still behind
Magma, who have a startup mentality as well but a consistent story and
tool suite. Smaller companies like Novas are still the best.
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About average. 2 to 3 years ago, I would have said far worst. They've
made some significant strides in tool quality, tool integration, and
support. Too bad the quality support comes through the AE's which are
in theory "pre-sales" support directed by their Used Car Salesmen.
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Far worst, I know this is harsh, but it is fact. I feel personally that
the Custom design side support and products are good. That is how
Cadence is surviving.
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Average to better.
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Pockets of really cool technology stuck in a bad structure. CDN is like
power windows, air conditioning and a stereo in a rusted out car. It is
just sad and bad for the industry.
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Cadence is a dense Frankenstein of the many companies that makes it up.
But overall I think if you can get beyond that they're mostly good
people doing good stuff.
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Far worst -- in Synopsys tools all you need to do to make it work is look
for the right flags. In Cadence you need to debug their tools.
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Far worse, Cadence dominates the analog market and knows it. Might as
well bring Vaseline and bend over in any sales meeting with them.
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Cadence = Far Better
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Much better
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About average overall, but better than Synopsys has been over the last
6 months to us.
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Far worst if not the worst.
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We have respect for Cadence as a company, and a good working business
relationship. We have not encountered the aggressive unfair buisiness
tactics that we have had with some other vendors. I tend to trust
Cadence sales people a little more that they will be able to deliver
what they are selling me.
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