[EricVanWyk]

Jason -

It isn't typically free, but Altium is included in the FRC kit of parts. I would highly recommend speaking to your local sales rep before dismissing it - they have been very generous in the past.

It is easily the best EECAD package I have used to date, and I have used a fair number of them. Relevant to your interests, it has a relatively shallow learning curve - no hidden features that can only be activated with secret key combinations. It also has some jaw dropping features, especially design management and 3D modeling.

Ultiboard by National Instruments is another item to add to your list*. It also has a nice shallow learning curve, and does a great job with educational board development. You may wish to speak with your NI reps about this product. I haven't used it since I was in college, but it was a good fit for the types of boards I was creating at the time.

For what it is worth, I use autoroute extremely rarely.


* In the spirit of full disclosure, I work for NI.