kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Mário Luzeiro <mrluzeiro@xxxxx>]

Hello all,

I've just watched Wayne Stambaugh @ FOSDEM15

https://fosdem.org/2015/schedule/event/kicad/
https://video.fosdem.org/2015/devroom-electronic_design_automation/kicad.mp4

.. and I really appreciate it because I was missing that introduction and general view status of the KiCad project..

Since I started last year occasionally contributing to KiCad, I make a question to myself lots of times: "Where am I" ?

I am not following everyday this mailing list, I just come here once in a while or when I start to make a new contribution so I miss something that I quickly catch and see the development status of the project.
Recently, I found some important posts here by Wayne (i.e: https://lists.launchpad.net/kicad-developers/msg17342.html ) related with "stable releases".. and so on

I am missing in KiCad some uniformization point on all fields that KiCad community is working on. I think KiCad is missing some "corporate branding" in the way that it shows / present itself to the world, probably is because it is being developed by just engineers. ;)

I know that KiCad is a opensource project and don't need to marketing itself and promote as a real business corporation is, but, the way the things are moving now, hardware is becoming more attractive to different area fields and people, and lots of other (commercials) products are moving to engage more people as well (ex: the recently movements that commercial products did with electronic components online stores, Eagle->Farnell, DesignSpark PCB -> RS, and with the online communities of makers, Altium -> CircuitMaker)

So, I miss something that have a more careful presentation to public, like other opensource project have nowadays and I think it will be special important that KiCad will have stable releases.
I believe when someone new, open a webpage of an opensource project would like to see that it is a live a not dead project! So things like see the latest stable release, reading some blog news about the development of the project.. etc

Also, for kicad, all the information in webpage (the official .. and the others web sites!) is very spread across the web, same for the users and same for the developers.

Example, for developers:
We have this page (Atlassian based ?) with misc information:
http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/DEV/KiCad+Development

And the launchpad page, with other information and details:
launchpad.net/kicad

and the mailing list page:
https://launchpad.net/~kicad-developers

we have also other separate projects like:
https://launchpad.net/kicad-winbuilder

CERN webpage have also very good information (not sure if updated) for project development
www.ohwr.org/projects/cern-kicad/wiki

and the original author JP webpage:
http://iut-tice.ujf-grenoble.fr/kicad/

and then.. that important information of the project I discuss there is also spread in mails in the development list.


That would be nice if we have in a main kicad page as much as a single and only updated information with also that types of summary update status that Wayne is doing, it should be in a online page for quick reference making everybody tuned in the project and also, the other users people will know about the progress of the project and fill confidence using KiCad.


As a developer I miss things like to understand on what people are working or who can I contact to discuss about something related with some part of the project.. who developed / define the architectures of something.. etc

A good example that illustrate my point is the wxWidgets project (that KiCad is using)

https://www.wxwidgets.org
+Download latest version
+Good example screenshot
+news for users.. and developers... so they have the official updates and project progress...
+User Documentation
+Community
+Bug report
+Development information
+Development roadmap!
...


https://inkscape.org/en/
+Download
+News
+Learn
+Development
+Community
+Support
+Gallery (it is useful to attract people with good examples of the software capabilities)
...

and so on. It is something that shows to the community, call it for engagement and interest.

I believe if we can make KiCad look a bit more attractive it will engage more people to use and contribute (development and other) to it.

There are probably things in this points that will cost money / time / skills and specialized people... but .. Wayne Stambaugh prove in the FOSDEM15 that he is very good to "sell the product" so hope you find some way to get a more live Kicad ;)

Any plans on this Wayne?!

Cheers!
Mario Luzeiro