Best Electrical Software Design Tools

Hello All the Geeks and Techno Mates !

I am new here and actually came with a question that I want to work on some Electrical System Design and which software, tool or a kit is best to simulate or develop simulations.

Basically I want to work on freelance websites that may help me out to carryout my expenses.

Thanks in advance.

This is a broad topic, for which there is no right answer. It would help if you gave a bit more information about what it is you intend to do with the simulator,
cheers,
Richard

What exact stuff you'd like to simulate? For example I use "fritzing":http://fritzing.org to create electric circuits.

FREE:

Any free spice simulator (internet search engine) - usually not much hassle, LTSpice is the only one I know of without a component limit. But if you're after the GUI and your schem is simple try something else.

Multisims are good if you want to see pictures of your instruments (a-googoo a-gahgah stuff - just kidding, I started out with a trial of NI Multisim honestly).

For logic, Quartus Modelsim (verilog and VHDL). Easiest for me and I haven't done anything that reached the free version limit. There is Icarus but I never tried it.

For VLSI layout, I use LASI. For PCBs, I use Eagle's standard version OR NI's ultiboard.
Simulation is best with electric vlsi.



PAID:

Cadence's current suite - IC61 - is looking better than its predecessor (IC51) but can you handle the price??!?!? There is also a rising Japan competitor - Cforce by JEDAT - which is cheaper but not of course as good as caddy waddy.

hehe cheers!
Justin