kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Tim Hutt <tdhutt@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 10 September 2014 20:48, Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> On 9/10/2014 1:54 PM, Tim Hutt wrote:
> > On 10 September 2014 10:25, Javier Serrano
> > <javier.serrano.pareja@xxxxxxxxx
> > <mailto:javier.serrano.pareja@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
> >
> >      There is a big difference between commercial proprietary
> >     applications and FOSS applications with no paid labor
> >
> >
> > Definitely true. I think part of the problem is that FOSS developers
> > generally develop for themselves, and once someone becomes a developer
> > they are hardly a new user! So features for new users don't get much
> > attention.
>
> How are you defining a new user?  Are you talking about someone who has
> no idea how to design and lay out a printed circuit board or are you
> talking about someone who is coming from another electronic design
> application?


Both ideally. The second is much easier of course.


> Judging by some of you comments, it seems like the former.
>  I agree that KiCad usability could be improved but I am opposed to
> adding nagware to the point where all of these things you have proposed
> start getting in the way of me getting work done.


Yeah, I would advocate a "dismiss all hints" button for experienced users
so it doesn't get annoying.

> 1. Good software has a manual. Great software doesn't need one.

>
> I disagree with you on this.  The first thing I look for with any new
> piece of software with a GUI is the list of keyboard short cuts.  If the
> I cannot get to the primary functionality of an application without
> clicking and pointing, that application will have a short life span on
> my computer.  Pointing and clicking are only user friendly to users who
> are stuck in that paradigm.


Sorry, I'm missing what keyboard short-cuts have to do with manuals?


> Every object in the schematic or board editor has a context menu
> (assuming you know what the right mouse button is used for) that
> contains all of the actions that can be performed on that object.
> Embedded in the context menu for an object are the hot keys so you don't
> have to keep using the context menu which is always slower because it
> requires more steps.


As it should be!