I think it's incredibly important that we get a new FOSS EDA tool with a focus on modularity and usability. I have a really hard time using KiCad because it's so clunky compared to Eagle. The UI for Eagle is better, and the design flow is much easier (for me).
My dream EDA tool is a highly extensible, scriptable, and modular core performing stuff like routing, impedance matching, DRC, etc. and then have that wrapped by a nice Eagle-like UI.
Hi wyager, I'm Chris Denney by the way, CTO for Worthington Assembly
Couldn't agree more. I really think it's going to happen. The EE hobbyist movement is really only in its infancy. The more people that jump on this and get excited about it, the more people will invest their time in FOSS projects like you described. It's only a matter of time.
I agree, and Eagle is utter crap compared to Altium. If the project isn't aiming to eat Altium's lunch, it isn't going to get where it needs to be. And you'd want to have relentless focus on usability. I've followed the KiCad development a bit, but I wasn't inspired. I'd love to work on such a project. I just don't know how to fund it.
Using Inkscape as a router? Good lord. I don't think that is a suitable starting part.
The right starting point is probably (1) a good choice of implementation tools (I've been sketching out some ideas. I'm thinking C++11 and Qt with python as the scripting language), (2) cannibalizing as much of the existing functionality from other efforts possible: KiCad, gEDA, etc. and (3) then focusing on useability and advanced functionality.
The question is, why not contribute to KiCad or gEDA? That might be the right answer. If they don't collapse under their own complexity (would gcc have gotten to llvm given enough time?), they'll get to Altium eventually. I think the key is to focus on software architecture that enhances productivity. In my experience, that's the only way for a small effort to compete with big, well-funded teams like Altium.
>I'm thinking C++11 and Qt with python as the scripting language
I was thinking it would be cool to do it in pure python, or if that ended up not being fast enough, something like Rust/Python. If we're doing an entirely new codebase, might as well do it right from the start!
OK, you don't like inkscape. but why rule out python? it's faster to code than c++ and more important, it will be far easier to get code contributors(and probably kickstarter support ).
My dream EDA tool is a highly extensible, scriptable, and modular core performing stuff like routing, impedance matching, DRC, etc. and then have that wrapped by a nice Eagle-like UI.