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From: al davis <ad252 AT freeelectron DOT net>
To: geda-user AT delorie DOT com
Subject: Re: [geda-user] import SVG into PCB
Date: Mon, 19 May 2014 19:54:38 -0400
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On Wednesday 07 May 2014, Kai-Martin Knaak wrote:
> If you do, please do not do it as a plug-in. Do it as a
> generic  feature in the main binary. Plug-ins tend to break
> when the main source base of pcb moves on. Also, they are an
> obstacle to using different versions of pcb in parallel.
> This in turn discourages testing and early adoption.

If that is true, you are doing something wrong, or maybe the pcb 
program is doing something wrong.

In Gnucap, whether something is supplied as a plugin or "as a 
generic feature in the main binary", it is coded exactly the 
same.  The only difference is whether it is supplied with the 
main binary or not, and that decision is usually(**) based on 
its quality and usefulness.  Supplying as a plugin lets you add 
it at any time without reinstalling, without waiting.  Then when 
it is proven to be good and of general interest it is added to 
the main branch.

Usually "tend to break when the main source branch moves on" 
means poor quality code and the plugin developer has abandoned 
it.  If it were included in the main branch, somebody else would 
need to maintain it, and may not want to if the quality is poor.

So do it as a plugin, beat the bugs out, and when it is ready 
ask for it to be included with the main binary.

(**) .. In some cases it is based on copyright, licensing, or 
third-party libraries.