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From: Kai-Martin Knaak <kmk AT familieknaak DOT de>
Subject: Re: [geda-user] New experimental netlist features
Date: Sat, 05 Sep 2015 22:35:22 +0200
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Reply-To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com

John Doty wrote:

> Why would they want gEDA over kiCAD?
> Shouldn’t we be promoting our strengths? 

Unfortunately, strengths don't make a deal if there are show stopping 
weaknesses. Quick reminder (in no particular order):
* the out-of-the-box library of symbols is barely usable
* the out of the box library of footprints is quite frugal
* user documentation is in a sad state
* developer documentation is patchy at best
* there is no windows install available from the projects website
* there is no straight forward way to do simple simulations
* there is no way to do blind and buried vias
* there is no interaction with 3D CAD applications

Traditionally, the other competitors in the low cost segment of EDA 
applications had similar, or even worse issues. But with kicad 
development gaining quite some momentum in recent years this has 
changed. 


> Gnetlist is the unique, powerful, core of gEDA.

"unique"
→ now, that xorn arrived, gnetlist is obviously not unique anymore.
(Well, it is unique in that it is probably the only scheme based 
netlister in the universe)

"core"
→ a collection of tools contains no singular core (almost by 
definition). People successfully use geda without touching gnetlist at 
all. Not every work-flow is driven by schematics.

"powerful"
→ buses are purely graphical
→ no way to pass parameters to sub sheets
→ no variables (think $AUTHOR, $DATE, $REVISION, ...)
→ no infrastructure to do back annotation


> Why hide it away?

What do you mean by "hide away"? This thread is not about hiding 
anything but to essentially replace a component with something that 
does the same job in a more clean way minus some of the above issues. 
And yes, the traditional netlister should stay in the project if only 
for the peace of mind.

---<)kaimartin(>---