Re: gEDA-user: gEDA, where are the loadable examples?

[marvindickens@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

On Sunday 13 March 2005 15:54, Stuart Brorson wrote:

>   It's just human nature --
> sharing software is fun, sharing symbols isn't. . . .  go figure.
> Anyway, you will probably need to make your own symbol.

Symbols and footprints are like fonts  -  If word processing 
programs like openoffice and DTP programs like Scribus had 
only gnu licensed fonts, who would use these programs? Nobody.
That's why there are "free to use anyway you want to" core fonts.

It's in the best interest of every user of gEDA to have a "free to use anyway 
you want to" core set of symbols and footprints. gEDA will always struggle 
for users until this issue is addressed. This is not about politics or 
competition. This is about basic usability of this set of tools. How can 
anyone expect a perspective user to successfully evaluate gEDA without a 
usable set of core symbols and footprints? They can't. This is why so many 
users take a look at this project and dismiss it. In essence, this project 
will remain the domain of a small set of users until this issue is rectified.

Also, about two months ago, a discussion took place on this list regarding
free symbols and footprints. In that discussion, many people on this list said 
they thought setting up a repository for symbols and footprints was a good 
idea. So, arrangements were made to setup of a repository:

http://www.gedasymbols.org

Now, I'm not suggesting that people donate symbols and footprints for every
device they have. What I am suggesting is that this community should at least
have a decent set of core symbols and footprints available for use like every 
other schematic capture and layout offering that is currently available. 
Without this, there is no way for this project to compete with other 
offerings. 

I suppose that this email is a request for donations of symbols and footprints 
for the creation of a core set usable symbols and footprints. 

 
Best regards

Marvin Dickens