Re: gEDA-user: Google Summer of Code on gEDA Webpages

["Svenn Are Bjerkem" <svenn@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On 3/11/07, al davis <ad136@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Saturday 10 March 2007 21:05, Ales Hvezda wrote:
> > >Anyone who is thinking of improving a spice GUI has got to
> > > try Linear Technology's free SwitcherCAD (aka ltspice).
> > > It's the nicest spice I've ever used. It's a better
> > > schematic entry program than most, too (and that would
> > > include Eagle and gschem).
> >
> > Okay, I'm confused, why are you trying to use
> > gschem/PCB then? Wouldn't it make sense to use SwitcherCAD
> > (aka ltspice) instead? It does run under Windows and Linux
> > (using wine).
>
> Maybe he would rather use something that is truly-free, GPL?
> Avoid proprietary lock-in?

Problem with most attempts on front-ending the command line simulators
is that they either cover only one simulator and implement the
post-processing sub-optimal. Even expencive EDA tools from Cadence et
al have sub-optimal simulator front ends. It is important to spend
time to get exhaustive input from the possible user base before the
first line of code is written as there is a huge permutation of
features that will be requested as people start to use such a
front-end.

I think it would be a good start if we could start to collect an
exhaustive list of features and functionality expected for such an
application. It would also be feasible to collect user scenarios as a
little description on how a user would expect to use such a front-end
can give valuable input to the programmer ahead of starting the
coding, and also set some kind of priority between the different
features. I think having such a user-driven specification will be
feasible even if nobody start programming it as the way simulation is
done will not change over the years and eventually somebody will come
around with enough time and skill to implement one. The programmer
then doesn't need to have exhaustive knowledge of chip or pcb design
in order to start.

I know what I want, but I don't have programming skill to implement
it. That is really frustrating and I try to learn QT4 in my spare time
to be able to start, but as a chip designer I rather use scripting
languages like Tcl and SKILL without GUI. Tcl would be nice as it has
Tk and is very portable and very stable, but an exhaustive front-end
will be too much for that language. It is really frustrating as
multi-million tools that companies use make their users quite unhappy
at times.

Kind regards,
--
Svenn


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