[Author Prev][Author Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Author Index][Thread Index]

Re: gEDA-user: fritzing



Stefan Salewski wrote:
> On Sun, 2009-05-10 at 11:43 +0100, Chris Smith wrote:
>> Stefan Salewski wrote:
>>> It's hard for me to imagine an engineer who can not install an OS, when
>> The issue is not their /ability/ to install, but whether they should be
>> /forced/ to install an OS.
> 
> I am forced to read and write in english language to participate to this
> list ;-)
> 
> But seriously:
> 
> Nobody is forced -- but if somebody is interested in FOS he can install
> an FOS operating system beside his commercial one.

Why should anyone have to?  In this day and age, with the number and
maturity of cross-platform GUI development libraries, there are no
reasonable justifications I can think of for producing an application
tied to a particular platform.  What is the goal of gEDA?  To produce a
first-class suite of EDA programs, or to further the cause of GNU/Linux?

Most people don't care about operating systems, FOS or otherwise; they
care about getting things done, and sharing their data with whomever
they choose.  That requires applications which are cross-platform and/or
use standard, open file formats.  gEDA at least wins the latter.

I attended an Altium roadshow last month and said much the same thing.
Do you have a Linux client?  No.  Do you use open file formats?  No.
Why should I use an application that locks my data down such that I
can't share it with colleagues using different applications or
platforms?  No answer.

>> I find it ironic that the FOSS community is so outspoken on the evils of
>> vendor lock-in, but will happily accept it if it forces people to use
>> FOSS OS's.  In my eyes, forcing people to install Linux to use $TOOL is
>> no less evil that forcing people to install Windows to use MS Office.
>>
> 
> I think most gEDA users and developers will be happy if someone makes a
> fine Windows port. But this is work, and most have other priorities.  

I wrote that in response to a couple of posters to this thread who seem
keen to use gEDA's '*nix only' status as a tool to pry users away from
Windows.

>> I am about to start work on a project with another engineer who uses
>> Windows.  I would dearly love to use gEDA for this project, however I
>> respect his choice of OS and thus we will be forced to use something
>> like Eagle instead.
> 
> Why not KiCAD? It IS available for Windows and Linux! And as Joerg told
> us it is fine.

My point was that I will have to use something other than gEDA, and the
more people who have to do likewise, the more potential
users/contributors the gEDA project loses.

> "I like FOS, but only if it looks and behaves identical to my current
> commercial software." I can understand this desire, I am lazy too.

I'm not sure where you got that from, but it's certainly not my opinion! :)

Chris
-- 
Chris Smith <cjs94@xxxxxxxxxx>


Attachment: signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature


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