kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[jean-pierre charras <jp.charras@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Wayne Stambaugh a écrit :
> On 8/6/2010 2:13 PM, Dick Hollenbeck wrote:
> > On 08/06/2010 11:49 AM, Brian F. G. Bidulock wrote:
> > > Dick,
> > >
> > > On Fri, 06 Aug 2010, Dick Hollenbeck wrote:
> > >   
> > > >     
> > > --X--snip--X--
> > >   
> > > > Curious about scala now.  Later I came to refer to the lower level
> > > > languages as "programming on your hands and knees".  Each has their
> > > > place, but this is determined by the platform.  The fact that the linux
> > > > kernel is written in C, is a perfect language choice.  It should be in
> > > > C.  But when you move up into the application space, and have enough
> > > > disk space, and infrastructure, and still write in C, you are now
> > > > "programming on your hands and knees" IMO.
> > > >     
> > > Looking at the code I can see that a lot of people have
> > > been "programming on their hands and knees" in C++.
> > > Most of it is C code fed at a C++ compiler.
> > >
> > > --brian
> > >   
> >
> > I suspect that it was orignally written in C and then fed to the C++
> > compiler and gradual adoption of classes along the way.  Jean Pierre
> > could tell us.  And I don't know how many people have been involved, it
> > is probably not accurate to say a lot.  Jean Pierre has never said if
> > any of his students have contributed, but it seems like it would be a
> > cool thing to do as a student.

Yes, of course, Kicad was originally written in C.
In fact I started Pcbnew as a testing program to understand how a board editor works.
Just a game I started when i discovery a 32 bit C/C++ compiler.
(DJGPP compiler, the gnu c compiler for Windows, Linux did not exists at this time).
Eeschema was started from sources found on Internet (I was helped by a student).
This was a good starting point, also written in C.
The graphic library (libgrx) used to write pcbnew and eeschema was also aC lib.

The C++ conversion was made later when I used wxWidgets.
In fact, I did not know the C++ language before using wxWidgets and I learn it for Kicad.
So, in many ways, Kicad was the work of a beginner (at least, in its first version).

> > As far as open source projects go, of any kind, I think it is very very
> > good, and getting better everyday.  That last bit is encouraging.
>
> I second that.  Even in the relatively short period of time I have beenworking
> on the project, I have been impressed with how much Kicad has evolved.
>
> > It should be known that there was sort of a consensus reached during a
> > discussion many months ago, that C++ could be pushed to the point of
> > obfuscation, and I think we agreed to always stay with concepts that
> > keep the code easy to read and maintain.  A balance point can be found
> > in many spectrums.
> >
> > What amazes me about Jean Pierre is the patience of the man.  To sit
> > back silently and have folks criticize, contort, and modify previously
> > written code cannot be easy.  He is a man of greater patience than most,
> > and his generosity is appreciated by me and many.
>
> You can count me as one of those appreciate all that JP has done.  I don't
> think enough can be said about how well he has handled all of the changes the
> project has gone through.  I doubt I would have handled it as gracefully.
> Thanks for tolerating the rest of us JP.  Should our paths ever cross, the
> drinks are on me.

Thanks.
Teachers must be patient!
But I know Kicad is not so bad, just because there are volunteers to workon.
Bad or useless projects have no volunteers to work on.
And with the work of these contributors, Kicad become better and better.
This is the reason of my patience.
Wayne, Dick, your work to enhance Kicad sources and features is very important,
and is more than appreciated.
So I think Kicad is in safe hands.


> Wayne
>
> > Dick



--
Jean-Pierre CHARRAS