What?
gplCAD is an independent free software project working on a software framework for developing Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools. Even though the primary focus of this project is to create a framework, a functional demo implementation ("gcd") will be written using the framework.
The two toplevel goals/requirements of the gplCAD framework are to capture the representation of:
- the real world as a mathematical model that can be manipulated
- the detailed manufacturing process that goes into creating the real world
These goals/requirements are still being tweaked, the exact domain of the framework is still in flux, and everything is subject to change.
All the files and data in this project are under the GPLv3. The license of all output generated by the framework or the demo implementation ("gcd") is still to be determined.
Why?
This project exists because existing libraries or programs are either:
- are incomplete (with no path forward),
- are completely abandoned,
- are unnecessarily complex,
- have incomprehensible user interfaces,
- are completely power user unfriendly,
- written in an inappropriate programming language,
- do not scale with large amounts of data,
- do not provide extensibility mechanisms,
- are incompatibly licensed,
- are intentionally crippled,
- are unmaintainable,
- lack even the simplest of test suites,
- are not written with portability in mind,
- and/or lack user or developer documentation.
Note, the gplCAD project has yet to address the above points and probably will not for some time.
Who?
gplCAD is targeted at :
- Free software developers
- People who are creating free/open source hardware
- anybody willing to provide a helping hand
gplCAD is not:
- ... a clone of any existing CAD program
- ... for people looking for a freebie CAD program
- ... for people who do not understand the motivations for and processes of free software
When?
Current status:
- The core requirements are well understood.
- The core framework has been in the design phase for a few years.
- Many functional prototypes have been written to validate the design, however there are some areas that still require more prototyping.
- Nothing is available for download yet.
- From a public perspective, everything about this project is vaporware.
This web page in a perpetual state of construction.
