What is Protel PCB layout package?

[treez]

A senior design engineer has just given me a usb stick with protel pcb layout software on it.
He tells me that any design i do must be drawn and layed out in this Protel

What is it?
Is it that DOS based PCB layout package?
I have been told its a version before ver 3.5.2.

I have been told that if i have anything later than WinXP, then i'd better run the program in "compatibility mode" (Win95), otherwise it might not be reliable.

Is this PCB package any good?

Some time ago, this engineer said to me that they had seen altium being used once, and then when "convert to PCB" was clicked, the PCB came up with the components linked by the rat's nest...and this senior engineer complained to me that the rat's nest was "weird".........i didnt understand...the rats nest is a great help, surely?
Does this protel incorporate this rats nesting?

 

[tantudaisu]

Well I think he called unrouted messy nets as "rat's nest"

That senior engineer is a rely an old sea wolf. To do new layout with Protel is the same as to write a book with a typewriters or better with a pen, like medieval monk...

- tantudaisu -

 

[keith1200rs]

Protel became Altium in 2001 so the package is very old. That doesn't mean it won't work but you won't get any support from Altium and there may be compatibility problems with newer Windows versions.

Keith

 

[marce]

Your senior engineer should probably retire, without the rats nest view to guide us how would we lay out a PCB.....
Agree with Tantudaisu, Protel is old...