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Subject: Re: [geda-user] gEDA as alternative for KiCad (for me)?
From: John Doty <jpd AT noqsi DOT com>
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Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 10:28:21 -0500
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On Feb 17, 2014, at 10:04 AM, Michai Ramakers wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> [ I post this in 'geda-user' instead of 'geda-help' because answers
> might not be short or simple, and might not benefit new users ]
> 
> I've been using KiCad for a number of years now, and am considering
> moving to a new EDA suite - gEDA looks like a good candidate. In fact
> when choosing an EDA suite back then, KiCad and gEDA were the only
> realistic options as far as I could see.
> 
> Reasons for looking for a KiCad-alternative are subjective, and
> basically boil down to KiCad not being mature enough to use in a
> production-environment. (This is my opinion, not a request for
> flaming.)
> 
> Before wading through docs and giving it a serious try, I'd like to
> ask here whether gEDA could provide what I'm looking for in a EDA
> suite; 'yes', 'no' or more elaborate replies are more than welcome.
> 
> 
> - runs Linux/*BSD (I use NetBSD mostly)

Yes.

> 
> - is stable and mature - no drastic sudden changes in workflow or
> file-format or similar
> 

Yes. I use it for stuff that goes into space, and such projects take many years. I have had few problems.

> - uses plaintext file-format for interchange between suite-components

Yes.

> 
> - comes with complete and detailed documentation - that includes
> file-format details, so I can script against that, and these scripts
> will continue to work over releases

Yes.

> 
> - has a coherent project-website (or rather, one-stop source of
> information, not scattered throughout the web)

Yes.

> 
> 
> I think that for most of these, it is easy to say whether gEDA
> qualifies or not, but comments and mentions of corner-cases are
> welcome.
> 
> Furthermore, it would be nice to have a proper auto-router. I was
> impressed by the 'freerouting.net' autorouter, and read various mails
> about gEDA interfacing to the input-/output-formats that
> freerouting.net supports, with no definitive answer. I suppose I'd
> have to test the gEDA internal autorouter to know how it compares to
> the freerouting.net one (or not?).

You seem to assume that you'll use the "pcb" component for layout. You don't have to do that. One of gEDA's strengths is netlist export.

> 
> Thank you in advance,
> with kind regards,
> 
> Michai
> 

John Doty              Noqsi Aerospace, Ltd.
http://www.noqsi.com/
jpd AT noqsi DOT com