System interconnect diagramming software tools

[SheltieJim]

Chuck's right, of course. But there are tradeoffs (everything in the universe is a tradeoff).

Advantages of Powerpoint and the OpenOffice equivalent: Price, ease of use, interchange with other people.

Advantages of Visio: Drawing objects are, indeed, objects; they can have data associated with them, connections (e.g., wires, hoses) between objects "stretch" and remain attached to the objects when you move or rearrange them, you can control exactly what locations on each object can have a connection, etc.

Chuck, I'm sure that you are aware of Maretron's N2KBuilder. Has Raymarine considered providing either (a)a similar tool focused on Raymarine hardware or (b)a set of "objects" that might "plug into" N2KBuilder so that existing software could be used for SeatalkNG work at least. (A really comprehensive tool would, of course, properly handle Seatalk(1), SeatalkHS/RayNet, SeatalkNG, NMEA 0183, and NMEA 2000, and perhaps other networks that have been used by Raymarine in the past.

I do not know of free or very-low-cost software that does the equivalent sort of stuff that Visio does. Pity, really. (Note to self: Would this be worth pursuing?)