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> > > other respect binary is better.
> >
> > I counter that.
> > . you have to check a binary file for valid values just as you do for a
> >   text file
> > . if your binary file is in some way invalid, you will have a greater
> >   problem correcting it than a text file
> > . discussing why a file is invalid is easier with a text file
> > . a binary file might be smaller, but that does not matter much
> > . text files are better provided for by version systems (e.g. git)
> > . it is easier to write tools that write text than binary, because
> >   debugging the output is easier
> >
> 
> Regarding vcs of text data files for GUI program, it's a stretch to claim
> that the fact that they're text makes them much more compatible.  The diffs
> are only useful for the most trivial of cases.  For it to be really useful
> you need a (non-text) diff viewer of  some sort.

Two diffs might work better: netlist for topology and symbol values.

> ...
> A little while back a PhD Stefan Salewski put together a very good start on
> a very nice router.  IIRC he said 300-400 hours of effort, probably about
> $100k worth with overhead in the american market.  It's not C (for good
> reasons) and currently can't talk to pcb at all.  I would like to somehow
> arrange things such than efforts like this could maybe get used.

Would it be possible to write it down somewhere? Maybe on the wishlist so others know about it?