Re: gEDA-user: Notes from this evening's Free Dog meeting

[sdb@xxxxxxxxxx (Stuart Brorson)]

> > Finally, Kicad doesn't build nicely, i.e. it doesn't use the
> > GNU build system (i.e. configure etc.),=20
> 
> wxWindows programs typically use Bakefiles to build they makefiles.
> So it might be a simple mater to change the Bakefile template.

We would probably agree about the detailed tricks used to build Kicad.
However, the big-picture issue involves just how much of a hacker-god
you need to be in order to do this!

First off, you need to install
system dependencies wxWidgets  and Mesa3D before you build Kicad.
This usually requires root privelidges.  Secondly, neither of these
dependencies use a standard build method.  In fact, you must edit the
Makefiles to build them.  Thirdly, the same is true of Kicad itself:
You must hand edit the Makefiles to build the program & have it run
correctly.     

Experienced unix geeks can do this -- although I failed to get it
fully working before our meeting last night.  Thank goodness Ales had
successfully built the program from sources before showing up last
night!  

My point is this: If your program requires guru-level programming 
ability to install -- and involves hand-editing of Makefiles amongst
other tricks -- it's a non-starter for newbies.    

Stuart