X-Authentication-Warning: delorie.com: mail set sender to geda-user-bounces using -f X-Recipient: geda-user AT delorie DOT com X-Original-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=googlemail.com; s=20120113; h=mime-version:date:message-id:subject:from:to:content-type; bh=AyoUcUX/dj7ExIzU3jaYbVh6SQQ/NGEHL3ayGM58tIw=; b=Eg17Xp2w3M2NZ5rCTlrTYRGLdndFO+J8dg/i0fnLeuFvEpB3IKAH8jjlLmgcHTuokW 8LhC8D14Nr8HWJSMD3nfhWYwF35BSO4SOo4pYpunhF2t68/28Pm7w0UfNqrNgKYQSdHx gOfNQ3mfiKEnyc8FByEOrMOYJp3VeFlyoVerh20iamEH6UT9PQp0jA8PxpjCfFzCmt8I LXAxnMr6JbZmDvkR0FZfaTF63p0hAN2HGTibiEOpyoXMEdTzoPjrHNpDyyRTv6vnBxW0 q0rhX47od9D+iIwgBwdKFbZ561DhJKpfkI1RkGhJAd4vcz66uJN7tWu/jr/MHFeBFkEr Lj7g== MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.202.169.138 with SMTP id s132mr9289019oie.101.1450784242116; Tue, 22 Dec 2015 03:37:22 -0800 (PST) Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2015 11:37:22 +0000 Message-ID: Subject: [geda-user] Cross project collaboration on data models From: "Peter Clifton (petercjclifton AT googlemail DOT com) [via geda-user AT delorie DOT com]" To: gEDA User Mailing List Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=001a113cdbbe65ae7f05277b076d Reply-To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com --001a113cdbbe65ae7f05277b076d Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Hi, I'm starting a new thread so as hopefully not to hijack the previous one on data structure design. I'm going to be talking at FOSDEM about promoting cross project collaboration, and a lot of that will be about promoting interoperability + data sharing. I think this is of critical importance to allowing a (currently) smaller player like gEDA to survive amongst more successful / active projects. I think this is of critical importance to strengthening the position ALL open source EDA against commercial alternatives. Having tools from the different suites share a common (or similar, but compatible) model of the board / schematic / .... design is a critical requirement for enabling loss-less data conversion. This new data model could draw upon international standards (like AP210) the big EDA players have helped develop, but it does not have to. At the very least, if we cover the needs and use cases of other open source EDA players like KiCAD, Ktechlab, and the numerous others, we have a starting point for data exchange. Achieving this will mean more (hard) work than just sketching out and proposing a data structure which works on paper for our needs. It will need coordination with other projects, marketing (evangelising), it will need other projects to recognise and agree that this extra effort is worthwhile, and a decision that this is something they want to be part of. What the world needs is not another handful of file formats and data structures that purport to be the "one true answer". If developed by a project in isolation, there will be many of them, not one, and we will be no better off. If we want to achieve a common data-model, we must arrange to meet, sit with, and effectively develop our own open EDA standard, which all involved projects would make a commitment to further and implement. Step one is reaching out to the other projects. Don't expect to design something and then expect others to adopt it after the fact. Peter Clifton --001a113cdbbe65ae7f05277b076d Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hi,

I'm starting a new thread so as hopefully not to hijack = the previous one on data structure design.

I'm going to be talking at FOSDEM about promoting cross = project collaboration, and a lot of that will be about promoting interopera= bility + data sharing.

I think this is of critical importance to allowing a (curren= tly) smaller player like gEDA to survive amongst more successful / active p= rojects.

I think this is of critical importance to strengthening the = position ALL open source EDA against commercial alternatives.

Having tools from the different suites share a common (or si= milar, but compatible) model of the board / schematic / .... design is a cr= itical requirement for enabling loss-less data conversion.

This new data model could draw upon international standards = (like AP210) the big EDA players have helped develop, but it does not have = to. At the very least, if we cover the needs and use cases of other open so= urce EDA players like KiCAD, Ktechlab, and the numerous others, we have a s= tarting point for data exchange.

Achieving this will mean more (hard) work than just sketchin= g out and proposing a data structure which works on paper for our needs. It= will need coordination with other projects, marketing (evangelising), it w= ill need other projects to recognise and agree that this extra effort is wo= rthwhile, and a decision that this is something they want to be part of.

What the world needs is not another handful of file formats = and data structures that purport to be the "one true answer". If = developed by a project in isolation, there will be many of them, not one, a= nd we will be no better off.

If we want to achieve a common data-model, we must arrange t= o meet, sit with, and effectively develop our own open EDA standard, which = all involved projects would make a commitment to further and implement.

Step one is reaching out to the other projects. Don't ex= pect to design something and then expect others to adopt it after the fact.=

Peter Clifton

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