Ron K. Jeffries wrote: > Given the rather primitive state of libre 3D design tools > a project such as a new enclosure for post-Ben Nanonote might be > accomplished > by using SolidWorks (state of the art). When the design is well refined, > translate to an open format.
Separating the creative work from the engineering task sounds good, and I wouldn't see it as a problem if we did this. But the issue here is that you also need to go back and tweak parameters for engineering, and you don't want to include a non-Free tool in this loop. Also, it would raise the bar for anyone who wants to make a derivative work. That's in fact the core part of the process where openness matters most. The tools used for the artistic design don't matter much, because what you take from it are mainly ideas, but not things a machine can readily digest. Likewise, the final steps of implementing the design often involve tools and processes specific to the production equipment. Also there, depending on closed tools wouldn't matter much. >From a pragmatic point of view, I wouldn't want to spend resources on things we cannot own (in the sense of having open access to all the knowledge and tools needed for the task). We'd only add value to somebody else's platform and increase our dependence on it. Even this would be acceptable if the platform was sufficiently commoditized (as, for example, a PC is), but things like SolidWorks aren't commodities. Having non-Free elements in a process of a Free project weakens the project, because it increases the barrier for participation. People who don't have access to these elements will then simply be limited to shouting from the sidelines while some of them could play a much more productive role otherwise. I've seen this happen in practice over and over again. What surprises me a bit about those CAD tools is that people make all the effort of developing those interactive tools, but then don't go the comparably small extra way of actually turning them into something that would make it a considerably more powerful tool. I wonder if it's them just somehow overlooking this possibility, of if this has been tried and they ran into unsurmountable practical difficulties I'm not aware of. - Werner _______________________________________________ Qi Hardware Discussion List Mail to list (members only): [email protected] Subscribe or Unsubscribe: http://lists.en.qi-hardware.com/mailman/listinfo/discussion
