Re: gEDA-user: gEDA DLL hell

[DJ Delorie <dj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> > I think you have not understund how an open source project works.
> 
> Open source project means that the sources are open.

"The basic idea behind open source is very simple: When programmers
 can read, redistribute, and modify the source code for a piece of
 software, the software evolves. PEOPLE IMPROVE IT, PEOPLE ADAPT IT,
 PEOPLE FIX BUGS. And this can happen at a speed that, if one is used
 to the slow pace of conventional software development, seems
 astonishing." (emphasis mine) [http://www.opensource.org]

Open source is about more than just software licenses.  You're
confusing it with Free Software, which *is* just about software
licenses.

> Open source doesn't have anything to do how the sources are generated.

Oh, yes it does.  The license is specifically chosen to affect the way
the sources are generated - with rapid evolution being the end goal.
Read http://www.opensource.org/

Rapid evolution doesn't happen if everyone just sits back and
complains about what isn't done.

Note - *all* types of participation help.  In your case, "hey, I tried
this and it broke" *does* help.  But that doesn't entitle you to
*demand* we change things.

> It only describes the licensing of the sources.

Licensing is a means, not an end.

> For example Linux kernel is

... free software (GPL), which is ...

> developed partially by paid developers, who don't write it in spare
> time for fun, but in their working time for living. This is an
> counterexample on what you are saying proving that what you are
> saying is not true.

If you want to hire someone to develop gEDA on your behalf, go ahead.
I know PCB gets donations from a few sources, and as far as I'm
concerned, their requests have higher priority than others (all else
being equal).

When I, as a Red Hat employee, work on GCC, I'm doing it because
there's someone somewhere who's paying me to do it for them (either RH
or one of their customers).  Development time is neither cheap nor
abundant.  If you want something done, you have basically three
choices:

1. Do it yourself.
2. Wait for someone else to do it.
3. Pay for it.

You don't seem to be satisfied with #2, nor willing to #3.  That
leaves #1.