Re: gEDA-user: Idea/suggestion for improving the gschem GUI

[John Doty <jpd@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Apr 27, 2010, at 7:26 AM, Kai-Martin Knaak wrote:

> On Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:08:05 -0600, John Doty wrote:
> 
>> Please remember that "features" and "capabilities" are largely opposed
>> in software. 
> 
> No matter how often you repeat this statement, it is still wrong.
> Features and capabilities are orthogonal concepts, not exclusive. 

In principle, yes. That's why I said "largely".

In practice, it's difficult, especially if you don't put the problem at the top of your list of concerns.

Remember, the bare hardware without any software at all has the greatest potential. Every line of code added to the software system takes away from that potential. This is necessary, of course. You have the hardware for specific purposes, and the software serves these. But one should not ignore the cost in lost capability.

gEDA has an unusually good combination of breadth of capability and usability. That breadth goes far beyond what any individual user experiences. But we have a variety of needs: that breadth serves us collectively even if it doesn't serve us individually. If you don't perceive the size of that universe, you will ask for damaging things.

If we don't appreciate gEDA's strengths, we will lose them.

"Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot"

John Doty              Noqsi Aerospace, Ltd.
http://www.noqsi.com/
jpd@xxxxxxxxx




_______________________________________________
geda-user mailing list
geda-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.seul.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/geda-user