kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@...>]

Torsten Hüter wrote:
> Hi Dick,
>
> > Or at least non wxGraphicsContext and true wxGraphicsContext calls map 
> > to the same underlying API. 
>
> AFAIK wxGraphicsContext uses on Windows GDI+, while wxDC doesn't use this backend - this is a license problem. You can't easily compile it on MinGW, that's why Jean-Pierre has not used it (compare the older discussion about this topic). 
> What I've read so far, is that wxGC is even much slower than wxDC on Windows. But that could be only rumours - a benchmark is needed.

I got wxWidgets to compile with --enable-graph_ctx on MinGW/MSYS using 
the modified header files and link libraries from the following link 
without making any changes.

http://www.miscdebris.net/blog/2009/09/17/adding-gdi-headers-to-mingw-to-compile-wxwidgets-with-wxgraphicscontext-support/

As far as licensing goes, I can't really answer that. I'm pretty sure 
the modified GDI+ header files are not redistributable but I'm not sure 
about the executables created from them. The last time I checked, Kicad 
builds on Visual Studio so you should be able to build without any 
licensing issues that way assuming the GdiPlus headers are included.

Wayne

> > So a corporate adoption 
> > strategy is more beneficial to the project than simply targeting the 
> > software only for hobbyists with 10 year old computers having 400 pixels 
> > per row screens and 500 MHz clocks.
>
> Yes and no, speed is always important - even if you have the latest hardware. I'm working myself with a quad core Phenom II - but the drawing speed of KiCad with Windows 7 is extremly slow - under Linux it's OK.
> Altium for instance advertises with improved drawing speed (they use now DirectX):
> http://www.altium.com/VideoPlayer/FLVplayer.html?lib=w09_flv&flid=2 
>
> > And when a company does step up and sponsor work in this project costing 
> > tens of thousands of dollars, it is difficult for it to even hear that 
> > purchasing a $20 mouse is a problem, not to mention a $200 computer.
>
> However, when a bigger company has enough money for that, they wouldn't use KiCad and rather buy a supported professional package :) Money is not my motivation, instead I like to improve my working speed.
> Currently, I think KiCad has good chances to establish itself at universities (like Eagle) - but I think for most companies it's too risky to use it at the moment (I could be wrong of course). 
>
> Bye ..
> Torsten