RE[6]: emc really needs a copyleft cad/cam package

[Dan Falck <dfalck-at-sprynet.com>]

My reasons for wanting an opensource (Linux) CAD/CAM system are these:

1.  I would want the system to be tweakable ie the user can write scripts 
in python (or whatever language the developers choose), to customize it. 
Lack of scripting can be a problem with some current Windows CAM systems.

2. Future room for growth.  With EMC able to run Hexapods it will be a 
shallow feeling to have one if you can't program it to do 5 axis 
moves.  Open sourcing CAM programs would hopefully allow continued growth.


My take on the current state of Linux CAD/CAM is this:

   The programs out there now are either too simple and limited or are just 
toolkits with god knows what intended application in mind.  They don't fit 
our (CNC users) needs.  I can't do much with Qcad.  It's purely 2D and has 
no scripting.  There is no command line interface and I don't understand 
the methods of using the menus.  I'm sure that it could be modified 
somehow, but it appears that the group building it is headed towards a 
small drawing program for students.
   Varkon looks very interesting.  If you run the program straight out of 
the box, it will leave you really scratching your head.  In the Varkon docs 
it is stated that it is supposed to be a platform for building other CAD 
programs.  I would like to see a useful sample of one.

   Those appear to be the extremes, but ther isn't much in between 
them.  If the guys doing Qcad could have started out using Varkon or 
Opencascade they might have something that we could use right now.

Thanks,
Dan