kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[jean-pierre charras - INPG <jean-pierre.charras@...>]

I read many mails about my request.
I examined them with care.
Here is some thoughts about the situation, and about some questions:

First of all, kicad is under the GPL license, and will remain under this 
license.

And *All* the developpers agree whith this.

So change the license is not the problem
(and it is impossible because all the developpers must agree with this 
change,
and currently the number of guys who want this change is exactly 0.000)

About the GPL license there are some interesting opinions,
but about the request of Sierra Proto Express, the main problem is not 
an estimation about GPL license, but what we grant about kicad.

Of course, the GPL license said what it is possible, and what it is not.

But it said nothing about what we want or accept about kicad.

I believe if Sierra want some feature like to have a more easy 
generation of documents
for a board maker, it could contribute to kicad code easily with a write 
acces to the repository.
No need to request an agreement to used kicad sources.
(This was the first proposition of dick
1) honor the GPL, and contribute their new code to our repository, 
either in trunk or a branch.)

Of course a contribution can have other forms (like creates and 
maintains library footprints,
write "how to" about boards ...), because kicad is not only a piece of 
code, but needs also libraries, docs and tutorials.


So, I believe the request has an other goal.

In fcat, I was worried about i read in the mail of frank bennett:
here is:
My $0.02. I started looking at KiCad because I am a customer
of PCB123.com because they offer "free" schematic, PCB layout with
a fair auto-router software, DRC...do a design, the PCB board cost
is computed on screen as the design progresses, then push a button,
give them a credit card, your design is downloaded and in a few
days you get your PCBs. What I don't like is although you can
print the layout to scale (to see if the footprints are correct if
you have parts in hand) but no Gerber outs, so one is stuck with a
single source PCB supplier...these guys may have the same business
model in mind! The big advantage for both designer and PCB shop is
the common database and DRC checker!
-Frank

I do not like such an idea.
such a thing does not honors the GPL philosophy.
And it is easy with few work to "trap" users.

This is what Dick does not like:
Catch the work of contributors and with small work, get money.
Nobody wants this.

So
- First i plan to write to Sierra to know more about their request.

- Because kicad is GPL'd, we must accept what comply exactly with the 
GPL license
(and for me, the sources of a derivative software must be of course 
easily accessibles, but not necessary on our repository)

- We can accept what honor the spirit of GPL, and what comply the work 
of all the contributors
(a contribution like footprint libraries or others ... I do not talk 
about money)
Of course contributors can do a work for Sierra for money, as long as 
the new code is shared in kicad.

- We cannot accept anything which "trap" users, and generally speaking, 
any proprietary version of kicad.

What are your thoughts about these points.

And, Dick, your opinion is important for me, but please be patient with 
other guys.

--
Jean-Pierre CHARRAS
Maître de conférences
Directeur d'études 2ieme année.
Génie Electrique et Informatique Industrielle 2
Institut Universitaire de Technologie 1 de Grenoble
BP 67, 38402 St Martin d'Heres Cedex

Recherche :
Grenoble Image Parole Signal Automatique (GIPSA - INPG)
46, Avenue Félix Viallet
38031 Grenoble Cedex