kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Wayne Stambaugh <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 9/10/2015 2:43 AM, Lorenzo Marcantonio wrote:
> On Wed, 09 Sep 2015 22:45:08 +0200,
> LordBlick wrote:
> 
>> Give the job to Chuck Norris
> 
> Invoking the Roundhouse Kick License Exception ? :D
> 
> It's not the first time Mentor backtracks on licensing terms. The IPC
> footprint calculator (pcb-libraries, Valor... it's Mentor behind them
> :D) was first a freely downloadable demo (at the time of the B
> specification), it did the calculations but didn't generate the actual
> footprint files.
> 
> Then it was retired, because for the demo you had to buy the IPC specs
> (and still didn't generate footprint without an additional node-locked
> per-CAD license!).
> 
> These days is called 'footprint expert' and the free version only makes
> files with the default settings of the C "standard" revision (quotes
> because it will never become the C revision standard, it's being
> reworked in the IPC-M-440 or something like that). Still need to pay for
> changing options :P
> 
> As far of the licensing terms, it seems the 'partner' rules are
> something like "you have to advertise for Mentor in your product" :D
> 
> Could be doable *if* they don't require some kind of fiscal company
> registration or stuff.

The KiCad project advertise for Mentor Graphics?  Not without monetary
compensation.  I don't see Mentor Graphics donating to the KiCad project.

> 
> Also I didn't read very positive reviews about that standard :P seems
> another failed try to 'proprietarize' the PCB workflow chain (IPC at
> least don't ask for a license for implementation...)
>