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Re: Library License

 

On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 2:53 AM, Fabrizio Tappero <
fabrizio.tappero@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hello,
> Element, I actually would like to add a commend on this second last
> point (a component database). If we talk about kicad-only component
> database, the contribution in making this component database grow will
> only come from Kicad people. Instead if such a database had magic
> conversion tools that automatically create kicad, eagle, geda, etc.
> component parts, contribution would come from way more people.
>
> Additionally, I think it is fundamental for kicad to have some sort of
> automatic mechanism to import in the background components from this
> database (like wget or similar).
>
> cheers
> Fabrizio
>
>
Definitely good ideas.  It would be nice if there was some open standard
that would catch on with manufacturers for releasing footprints and library
symbols.  Seems like SWEET has the potential to become this, from my
limited knowledge of it.  Providing automatic conversion would help too.
 In regards to the ability to import data from within Kicad, it would be
great if the library/footprint browsers supported browsing through data
without having to add them individually to the library preferences.  If
Kicad could index entire directory trees of libraries/modules for browsing
(like a music library application for example) and still offer a way to
limit data to a smaller project subset for other operations (to prevent
overwhelm), that would be going in the direction of browsing online
databases.  Seems like additional categorization of individual footprints
and library symbols would be needed to really make it useful (rather than
relying on what file a particular component resides).  Footprints/symbols
should probably also be treated individually in this context rather than
grouping many in a single file.  If Kicad had this sort of library/module
indexing support, then the initial implementation of the online database
could simply be a bzr repository or similar which gets synchronized locally.

Best regards,
Element

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