kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Karl Schmidt <karl@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Changes to the base library file definitions? New Instantiationtions?

I add my voice in support of moving to a metric lib standard. (I don't care what goes on under the 
hood, but only what is in the library files - but obsolete units under the hood will cause problems 
in the long haul.)

I would propose a transition where the dimensions can be notated either way - add a metric flag to 
indicate it is in mm.

Here is why -

- All the new parts are defined in metric.

- Every conversion is an opportunity for bad things to happen - both in software and wet-ware.

- People writing third party software that interface with mod files will have more incentive.

- There are only three countries that have not yet gone metric: United States, Liberia, and Burma. 
Now that the center of capital has moved to Asia, the change is inevitable (unless we change to 
base12 on the way <grin>)

I think of the amount of time during the 30 years of my work in electronics that ended up being 
wasted converting, reconverting, fixing problems due to mixed units etc ... We shouldn't pass this 
mess on to the next generation.

I've read a lot about units - years ago I wrote this:

http://wiki.xtronics.com/index.php/Jack_and_Jill

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Karl Schmidt                                  EMail Karl@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Transtronics, Inc.                              WEB http://xtronics.com
3209 West 9th Street                             Ph (785) 841-3089
Lawrence, KS 66049                              FAX (785) 841-0434

A patent provides one a license to enrich his lawyer. -kps

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