Call to gradient shapes, the Free Software way [was: Re: Change length of several lines simultaneously.]

[Thomas Harding <tom thomas-harding name>]

First, thanks to point us on this great article on the list

[to be continue below quoting]

Le 15/10/2010 05:25, Michael Ross a écrit :
> Dear Pooya,
>
> In response to the following comment
> "Nothing related to my demanded task happens."
> I am issuing the
> "You should demand a refund"
> rejoinder.
>
> This is a great article about Free & Open Source Software (FOSS):
> http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm
> you can read "Dia" almost everywhere in it that it says Linux.  This 
> is a very good read and cured me of some bad tendencies helping me to 
> understand what I was dealing with and why.
>
> A final comment.  In quite a long time, 5 years maybe, not a single 
> person has asked for the function you describe.  I am not able to 
> program enhancements to Dia, but I am very grateful for the makers of 
> it and their excellent work.   Every now and then I feel compelled to 
> defend them - it is the best I can do.  I know with certainty that 
> they have limited time to VOLUNTEER to the effort of making Dia better.

I agree on that, except coding is not the only way to contribute to a 
free software, and there are numerous other ways to:

  * integrated user documentation (writing, editing, publishing, 
integration)
  * advertising (logos, articles)
  * not integrated user documentation (books, articles)
  * end users help
  * bug reporting (including tests of corrected/improved software or 
patches)
  * software design (icons, user interface behavior (command line, 
graphic interface), menu trees, ...) proposal or participation
  * ...

Especially concerning dia, also:
  * shapes/sheets authoring (especially custom xml ones which doesn't 
require
       programming skills)


Now that gradient shapes are available, "we" could propose more "modern" 
styles shapes -- with "simplicity", "readability" and "scalability" keep 
in mind as for the historical dia shapes ones.

This needs from one to dozens of hours to produce _one_ good shape.

I join here two svg samples, the first "orig" is a desktop printer, 
which for the shape is "calculated" then written with "vi" and colored 
through "sodipodi/inkscape". It took me about 5 hours authoring. I add a 
copy with gradients which is nod verified, edited with "inkscape". It 
will need "vi" authoring again. The second is a desktop computer 
station, which was copied from a public domain one, then authored 
through "inkscape", then corrected through "vi". This last took me about 
20hours authoring, despite the fact it was already designed, because 
"scalability" was not in mind of the original author. It needs now 
gradient authoring, and there were dozens ones from http://jcartier.net 
which seems Jean Cartier have been put them on openclipart, which is 
empty for his contributions... I think the design author can be joined 
on his blog.

All this is to show the process which can be conduced on "shapes" authoring:
 * a good designer, who proposed nice draws, directly or through a 
"public" clipart repository.
 * a tedious re-writer, who  re-calculates/correct paths.
 * dia integration, through dia-shapes repository.
 * finally, integration to dia mainstream as needed.

--
TSFH

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