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Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2012 08:26:06 -0400
From: Joshua Lansford <Joshua DOT Lansford AT laserlinc DOT com>
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To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: [geda-user] FPGA / CPLD development with Linux
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Reply-To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com

My experience has been with Xilinx.  Older wiser folks feel free to 
correct me if I am off on any of this. They have a free web-pack version 
of their development environment which runs on Linux.  The limitations 
of the web-pack are that you can't target the super large devices.  
However I know you can target up to the Spartan 6 LX75 because that is 
the FPGA I am using.  And with each release of a new Webpack version it 
supports more then it did before.  You also can't use chipScope pro 
which lets you put a virtual oscope in your FPGA though the JTAG.  
Besides that I haven't felt much limitation due to the Webpack.  Even 
their simulator still works with the Webpack.  I am running their 
Webpack on Debian.   I would agree that I would stick to a textual 
design such as VHDL or Verilog.  If you are planning on using open 
source cores or tools I would suggest Verilog.   For example the open 
source PCI bridge and Ethernet MAC from opencores.org are in Verilog.  
(Do note that it is hard to satisfy the rebuilt write required by LGPL 
especially in ASIC so be aware of that before you head down that 
road...) Xilinx has a community forum where I have gotten very good 
support and advice on all sorts of topics related to FPGAs.  One more 
thing, Xilinx currently is in transition from one IDE to a new one.  So 
if you don't know either and you want to go with Xilinx, learn the 
PlanAhead IDE instead of the ISE IDE.
   Synthesizing logic to physical layout of a FPGA is very specific to a 
particular company which made that chip and I don't know that there is 
any open source tool that can do that.

~Joshua