Anders,

Yes, I think that would be possible, however, I think you would wind up with 
something
like the yahoo file area where you just have everything sort of scattered about 
unless
you have  a human gatekeeper of some sort.

So I guess that's the first requirement, should it be automated or include a 
human
gatekeeper of some sort?

Personally, I would prefer an automated or semi-automated type of web based
solution.

My vision of a KiCad Parts Repository:

Uploading parts:

I goto http://kicadparts.org or whatever and create an account.
I upload some widgets.
Before the widgets can be published, I need to classify them
into some sort of category structure. I need to provide
a jpeg image, and a brief description.

Downloading Parts:

I goto http://kicadparts.org or whatever and type into the search box "PLCC"
and I get a list of all the part hits that are PLCC sockets of some sort.
Maybe there's a refined search where I can narrow the search. 

The downloading parts should even be almost like a shopping cart experience...
I'll have one of those, one of those, I wonder if they have something like 
this....

You should be able to select categories of parts and have them assembled 
into a lib before downloading. Or how about even you add parts to a basket
just like a shopping cart, and then you have the option of assembling parts
in your basket into a lib at "checkout"....

Feedback on parts:

You need some method of QA on parts...I suppose in a community based
structure the best QA is some sort of feedback mechanism
where you can leave feedback on parts that others can see.

I suppose the parts should be able to have some sort of revision history
so that that consumers can see if issues have been addressed with a
particular part, etc..

My point is that if people are going to consistently use the repository,
it has to be user friendly, custom tailored to this specific application...I 
think.

There are a few issues with what I have proposed like the handling of known 
defective parts and non-responsive part owners, and things like that, but 
those sort of things would probably just fall to whomever is the admin as
sort of policy issues I think.

I guess what I am proposing, is a custom, one-off web based application
solution. I know, it's a lot of pain up front but I think it would really pay 
off 
in terms of boosting KiCAD to a new level.

Comments?

Mike Sharkey


On February 2, 2010 02:19:51 am you wrote:
> I think it is an excellent idea. Why not use sourceforge?
> 
> - Anders Gustafsson
>   Engineer, CNE6, ASE
>   Pedago, The Aaland Islands (N60 E20)
>   www.pedago.fi
>   phone +358 18 12060
>   mobile +358 40506 7099
>   fax +358 18 14060
>  
> 
> 
> >>> mike <[email protected]> 2010-02-01 22:37 >>>
> I would not mind lending a hand to coordinate some sort of repository effort 
> if we can
> agree on what a KiCAD parts repository might look like for starters.

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