Re: gEDA-user: PCB suggestion

["M. P. Dickens" <mpdickens@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Al Davis wrote:
> On Thursday 06 January 2005 07:05 pm, M. P. Dickens wrote:
>
> > Let's be reasonable: Free EDA tools are not looked upon as
> > good for business by the vast majority of commerical EDA
> > tools makers. 
>
>
> You might be surprised to find out how they really look at the 
> open-source tools.  Many of the proprietary tools are based on 
> open source tools.  For a really strong example of this, look 
> at Spice.

I acknowledge that a lot of companies have products based on
open source code. Spice is not the only one. There are a plethora
of commercial apps with this pedigree. I'm not sure what your
saying here.


> Based  on my observations and private conversations, the big 
> ones actually like us, and the little ones hate us.

I don't know the official position, but based on some committee
> experience in the past, Mentor's behavior has not been 
> open-source friendly.

Mentor cannot have it both ways. Either they like us (Even at the
committee level) or they don't. Commericial entities have to be either 
for open source or your against it. They know that cannot pick and 
choose. Open source, like any other business, is not a buffet
(Marketing, technologically and etc...) and they know it.

Again, I site the compuserve gif format fiasco. Also, I remember back in
the Linux pre 1.0 days, everybody thought Linux was cool and cute.
(My first Linux experience was with a Walnut Grove CD with version 0.96)
Then it matured and companies like MS, SUN and others no longer liked
it because it cut into their sales. Need I mention SCO? The main reason
Linux survived the SCO thing had nothing to do with SCO lying. It had to
do with support from IBM and other commericial entities who, in essence,
footed the legal bill. In the event a challange were to occur with gEDA
tools, who would foot the bill?  <<<----This is my concern. I am not
against using a file format created by anybody. I am concerned about
the future of gEDA tools and liability.

As time goes by, gEDA tools will mature. The open source development 
model is superior to all other models If development of gEDA tools 
continues (Which it will), a critical mass will be reached and the gEDA 
tools (Just as linux did...) will become a threat to large and small 
companies (Who do not adapt the open source model). Now, I'm not saying
this is going to happen tommorrow or in a year or in 5 years. My crystal
ball is fuzzy :) But, I can state, with certainty, that this will occur.

Best regards

Marvin Dickens