KICAD License or free - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: not an email username
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 08:03:44 pm
content: I got a new laptop and went to download Kicad. It only takes me to a page that wants me to license it. Is this new. Is there still a free Kicad?E

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 08:08:31 pm
content: Make sure you go tohttps://www.kicad.org- ORGThen click on the blue DOWNLOAD button in center of the page.

author: not an email username
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 08:11:03 pm
content: Download always take me to the commercial site from the ORG page

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 08:15:10 pm
content: Windows 64 bit :https://osdn.net/projects/kicad/storage/kicad-6.0.9-x86_64.exemac 10.15 or newer :https://osdn.net/projects/kicad/storage/kicad-unified-6.0.9-0.dmgubuntu :https://launchpad.net/~kicad/+archive/ubuntu/kicad-6.0-releases(and notes here:https://www.kicad.org/download/ubuntu/)Maybe someone messes up with your DNS ?Try setting the DNS temporarily to cloudflare dns (1.1.1.1) or google dns (8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4 ) or OpenDNS ( 208.67.222.222 oe 208.67.220.220 )

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 08:18:05 pm
content: What is the URL of that commercial site?Latest releases are also available on GitHubhttps://github.com/KiCad/kicad-source-mirror/releases/

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 08:20:03 pm
content: Quote from: ke5ism@gmail.com on December 10, 2022, 08:11:03 pmCan you copy and paste the page url from your address bar in your browser so we can see what site that is?

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 09:05:26 pm
content: Quote from: ke5ism@gmail.com on December 10, 2022, 08:11:03 pmAin't no such thing. Someone's messing with your rowser.

author: nali
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 09:26:26 pm
content: For some odd reason some of the Windoes download links e.g. OSDN go to kipro-pcb.com for me - but only while the fundraising drive banner is showing. If I close the banner, links are OK. Thats on Firefox / Win10.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 09:32:24 pm
content: https://www.kipro-pcb.com/Yep, this is weird, what is happening? what's the story with this pro thing?

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 09:46:06 pm
content: This is is a consulting business they have. It is legit, just developers trying to make money in a way that does not affect the product at all. And they don't offer any different versions or licenses, they offer paid support and design help.But I don't see any redirect to it, just the fundraising banner that has their logo. All download links are still where they should be.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 09:53:41 pm
content: Kicad runs a donation drive, and that company Kicad services is matching donations. It says so on the top of the page, this is how it looks in my browser.The download page looks like the other picture in the list of pictures in the footer (not worth placing it inline).The windows download page looks like this , and you can see the area of the page where if you click it will go to that site on the ribbon / banner. Maybe you have a monitor with a very low resolution, with very little vertical space ex 1336x768 or 1280x800, which would make that ribbon / banner go all the way down?Press F12 to open developer tools, click on the Inspect button (in the corner of that developer tools section), move mouse over the ribbon and then

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 09:55:35 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on December 10, 2022, 09:46:06 pmno, when the banner for them is up certain links redirect. I don't get it and I find it worrying, is this total incompetence? no you have to want these links to change, so why have they done it, it just looks dodgy as. In principle no nothing wrong with this company but why are we being tricked to land on their site?

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 09:58:36 pm
content: Quote from: mariush on December 10, 2022, 09:53:41 pmOK, incompetence, I mean jeez what the fuck is that huge vertical banner about? it's a problem on my 4K monitor!!!

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 09:58:46 pm
content: Yes, it looks like they just have busted layout and that banner is bigger logically than it is visually on the download page. I don't think it is malice, just an oversight.They used the same graphic as for the ribbon on the main page, but the ribbon is visually disabled. But the hit box remained big.It also goes away if you dismiss the whole donation banner.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 10:41:11 pm
content: i hate over use of features like this, it always leads to issues over something that was not needed and looks tacky.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 10:58:47 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on December 10, 2022, 09:58:46 pmI disagree. It's 100% intentional. I never noticed it, as the Ubuntu page is not affected. But on the Windows download page, all download and other links point to kipro-pcb.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 11:10:34 pm
content: I don't see that on my end. Windows download page (https://www.kicad.org/download/windows/) the first listed link ishttps://osdn.net/projects/kicad/storage/kicad-6.0.9-x86_64.exeUbuntu page does not provide any direct links, just instructions on how to add PPA repo. But even there if you hover under that banner area, you get a link to the site. But if you close the donation banner, all references to kipro-pcb go away.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 11:20:50 pm
content: I don't get any kipro link, on Windows here? Using Firefox. The only thing that appears when you click a download link is a a suggestion to donate, on the same page. No redirection and no requirement to do anything.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 11:28:20 pm
content: It would depend on font sizes and window size/screen resolution. You can see the page layout above. On the windows download page, hover over the "Release" in the "Stable Release" text. This location is likely to be a link to kipro-pcb. But this invisible overlay may extend down a lot, possibly covering links to the downloads. But if you just click on the right side of the blue download boxes, it would be fine.Ideally this needs to be reported and fixed, but I could not find any obvious contact info.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 10, 2022, 11:35:58 pm
content: Quote from: ataradov on December 10, 2022, 11:28:20 pmYeah, weirdly enough there is no contact information for the web site itself:https://www.kicad.org/about/contact-us/(except for the GDPR issues only.) This is odd.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2022, 12:27:39 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on December 10, 2022, 11:10:34 pmTry hovering over "64-bit (recommended)" and "6.0.9". Those are direct links to kipro-pcb. Don't tell me that's not intended.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2022, 12:32:19 am
content: It is not intended. There is literally an explanation for why this happens in this thread. This is a shitty web design, but not malice.The same exact thing happens on all pages of the site that have donation banner, not just windows one.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2022, 12:55:27 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on December 11, 2022, 12:32:19 amYes the banner just extends down and it has a transparent part that is clickable (I didn't run into it until you mentioned that, due to the fact it just extends down to the "64-bit (recommended)" line in my case, and not further down, and I never click on this line itself, but it was just luck.) I honestly don't know whether it's bad design or intentional. I'd tend to agree about it being just bad design. They probably made the banner container a fixed size rather than resize it automatically according to the banner image. But the net result is that it tricks people, whether it's intentional or not.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2022, 01:02:29 am
content: If you look on the main page, you will see that this area is occupied by the blue ribbon that is also clickable. On other pages they made this ribbon invisible (by simply changing the opacity), but it is still there and provides large hit box.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2022, 03:40:30 am
content: Might be worth someone's while to pay for KiPro:Quote from:https://www.kipro-pcb.com/main/subscribe/OTOH, doesn't say a lot for their services if they're not even current with the stuff they develop.

author: retiredfeline
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2022, 03:57:49 am
content: Quote from: PlainName on December 11, 2022, 03:40:30 amOTOH it might be that they make money supporting legacy platforms that the recent releases don't support because those platforms take too much effort for developers to work around and bug fix.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 11, 2022, 08:42:56 am
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on December 10, 2022, 11:20:50 pmand I used chrome, the problem is they have flashed out the shiny stuff unnecessarily and it has led to issues. I got text working as a link when it is just text, this is the "windows 64 bit" text at the top of the download list. Different browsers have interpreted differently the shoddy overlay with screen sizes possibly making a difference but even on my 4k monitor it goes wrong.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 11, 2022, 08:46:12 am
content: Quote from: Benta on December 11, 2022, 12:27:39 amStop being silly, the explanation has been given already, have like me the balls to change your mind when presented with the proof.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2022, 05:16:53 pm
content: Quote from: PlainName on December 11, 2022, 03:40:30 amSo I asked and, yes, they support W7 with the current V6 (but with some loss of Python ability). So that alone might be justification for the sub, depending on price, of course.

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 01:05:01 am
content: They probably never noticed because the background of the image is transparent, and unless you go into the Chrome console or something and examine the document entities you'd never know. Until you click something covered by it. But I can't see it being intentional since it only covers the OSDN link and none of the others, if it were intentional they would all be under the image. Rather unfortunate mistake I have to say... getting directed to a commercial site when clicking a link to a free download!

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 01:18:19 am
content: It was fixed shortly after it was reported. Plus there is nothing you could readily "buy" from the commercial site, it is just a contact for the services. They are not going to just give you a download link for $$$.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 01:23:47 am
content: Yeah, it was definitely just a design bug. And frankly to be fair, it's amazing what they have achieved with so little money.v7 is coming soon!

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 06:25:28 am
content: I wish people stopped downloading random things from the web.Even Microsoft is trying to implement a package downloader. In powershell, you can type:Code:winget install KiCad.KiCad("winget upgrade" is also very nice)On your favorite Linux distribution this has of course worked forever.

author: golden_labels
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 07:01:53 am
content: I wish the same, but merely having a package manager is not solving problems. Windows not having one was always PITA, but I see it as something arising from the culture to which Windows and its software was always addressed. And it is the culture that must be changed. Technical solutions may aid that transformation, but they can’t replace it. As long as the “installer culture” persists, package managers will IMO provide very little help. So far the trend seems opposite: with more and more people in Linux community consideringcurlhttp://software.example/install.sh| sudo bashto be perfectly fine.(1)There is also another issue, if the package manager uses a central repository. With community-oriented projects this is not a big thing, but with monopolists and oligopolists this makes them the gatekeepers. You either agree to their whims or GFTO.(1)And try criticizing the approach: you are called paranoid before they even know, what your concerns are.

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 08:29:16 am
content: Nobody really answered the original question? Well here comes:KiCAD is licensed AND free. Being free doesn't mean it has to lack a license. With the license in question it means it is even more free than free-as-in-beer-software (aka "freeware"). Why?It's because KiCAD is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). This license guarantees end users to run, study, share, and modify the software. It also means that end user have the right to get the source code of the software.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 09:06:48 am
content: Quote from: karpouzi9 on January 11, 2023, 07:56:23 amIt depends, I keep being blocked at work for trying to open websites that breaks some rule in the over the top firewall at work. Connecting to my own hosted emails takes forever, I have so many problems with computers at work that I simply never have at home while not having the issues at home that apparently all of this paranoia protects me from.I have always found linux difficult and the answer generally boils down to: "because that is the way we like it because it keeps the riff raff like you out"

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 11:16:40 am
content: The banner thing had been fixed within a few days after it got mentioned here. And now the "matching" campains have ended the extra banner has been removed completely.The fund drive runs until January the 15th so still 4 days to go...https://www.kicad.org/blog/2022/11/2022-End-of-Year-Fund-Drive/

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 12:05:44 pm
content: QuoteI don't think you answered the question either, which was essentially why the chap got sent to the subs website when it's meant to be free - clearly, 'license' in that question meant 'costs money'.The correct answer is that subscribing buys you custom support. It's nothing to do with licensing.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 03:19:28 pm
content: Quote from: PlainName on January 11, 2023, 12:05:44 pmPerhaps you need to drop it! several of us have explained several times! GO AWAY!!!

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 03:23:09 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on January 11, 2023, 09:06:48 amThat may be how you interpret it. Let's put it another way: There's no practical benefit to making tools less capable. You just make less capable users.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 03:40:11 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on January 11, 2023, 03:23:09 pmThat is a bit too harsh. IMHO a lot of people expect Linux to work the same as DOS / Windows and thus think they are able to install Linux and get going right of the bat. That isn't going to work. You'll need to learn how to use Linux. It is the same with any piece of software. If you are well versed in using KiCad, you still won't be able to use Orcad or Altium to the same level within a day.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 07:31:34 pm
content: Quote from: JohanH on January 11, 2023, 06:25:28 amNot quite sure what it has to do with the thread. People are talking about KiCad's official web site. It's not random things. It's not like the OP was trying to download KiCad from voodoosoftshit.bizQuote from: JohanH on January 11, 2023, 06:25:28 amWhile it's a great feature of Linux distributions, I don't think I'd ever want something like this on a commercial OS.It's great on Linux because it's open-source and managed by open-source and decentralized communities. But the idea of having Microsoft controlling all my software installations and updates? No thanks.And it's nothing new. It's the idea behind app stores, MS have been having one for years now. winget doesn't sound like much better than a geekified version of their appstore.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 08:05:49 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on January 11, 2023, 07:31:34 pmIt says "Server not found".Quote from: SiliconWizard on January 11, 2023, 07:31:34 pmTotally agree.Quote from: SiliconWizard on January 11, 2023, 07:31:34 pmThose linux distributions had package management many years before the term "appstore" was even invented. I'm not entirely sure, but I think that Napster showed there was money in music via computers (and they were demolished for that), then the fruitbrand hijacked the music business for computers, with a 50% robbery of all sales Yes, that is sales, not profits), and because there was lots of money there the appstores came with the same business model. Later they were forced to to lower their margins to a still ridiculous 30% or so. It may have changed again, but I don't buy from any appstore and don't follow it closely.

author: Ranayna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2023, 08:08:32 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on January 11, 2023, 09:06:48 amCorporate IT simply has to protect against a: The most stupid internal user, and b: the most malicious internal user. And most corporate IT departments lack the manpower to quickly implement workarounds or exceptions for specific users.

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2023, 07:04:34 am
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on January 11, 2023, 07:31:34 pmThis discussion really doesn't belong here, but...In the Windows world, my experience is that users tend to download random things that contain viruses etc. It's just their behavior because the platform has forced them to do stuff this way. Actually, last weekend I cleaned up a Windows 10 laptop for a relative, where he had installed ad-ware and multiple antivirus software without a clue what they did (and the laptop had stalled to a crawl).In this case the user didn't know if he tried to download the file from the real site or not. On a Linux system on the other hand, I can start the "app store" (or whatever it is called in that distribution), search for KiCAD and install it (the same also works from the command line). And I can trust that I get the correct version, without viruses etc.Quote from: SiliconWizard on January 11, 2023, 07:31:34 pmIt's just not Linuxes. Android also has an app store that is available by default, but you are not _forced_ to use it.If you look at the screenshot, "winget" actually downloads the KiCAD installation file from KiCAD's own site, so it isn't like Microsoft is trying to push their own version on you.What I mean is that, like Linux app downloders/centers/stores, also Android play store to an extent, there needs to be an easy way also for Windows users to get software in a secure way. Now I don't know if "winget" is a basic precursor for that, but it is a step in the right direction. Yes, I don't also like walled gardens like Apple's store or Microsoft's store (even if it's better on the Win platform, because you aren't forced to use it). But anything is better than the current wild west on Windows.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2023, 05:47:16 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on January 11, 2023, 03:19:28 pmAfter messaging Simon about this, I understand that he wrote it because he thinks I keep banging on about Kicad not being free. If anyone can point to a message where I have implied that I would be grateful, because as best I can remember I haveneversaid or implied that it isn't.I am writing this to correct the record and clarify for the hard of reading that my posting was explicitly about the kicad-pcb website, and that it is a subscription forpaid supportby a couple of the developers. Nothing about that suggests that Kicad is not free. It is saying there is theoptionof paid support if you want it.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 07:16:16 pm
content: sorry to have misread. Still not sure what the point of your post was though.

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 09:03:10 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on January 13, 2023, 07:16:16 pmI readPlainName's post #38as a response toJohanH's post #35as, paraphrasing, "No, OP got linked to kipro-pcb.com (as discussed in previous posts), which sell paid support for KiCAD; so this has nothing to do with how KiCAD itself is licensed". Previous messages having established that OP got confused by clicking on something they thought was a link to the download page, but was actually part of the poorly made support drive page to kipro-pcb.com –– the link fortunately subsequently fixed.Interestingly, kipro-pcb.com seems to be entirely down right now. There does not seem to be an archive of the new KiCAD developer mailing list posts, so I wonder if there has been some arguments about the redirection amongst the KiCAD devs? It is aseriouserror for an open source project to "accidentally" redirect new users to paid support page instead of the download page, and if I was a KiCAD dev, I'd befurious.

author: JeffYoung
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 14, 2023, 01:11:34 am
content: I'm a KiCad developer. Couldn't care less.I'd be mildly annoyed, perhaps, if it was someone that didn't contribute to the KiCad community. But probably not even then. It's the internet after all. All manner of shit goes on.But since itissomeone that contributes to the ecosystem,. I've got other things to do. European rugby on the telly tomorrow, for instance....

author: Nominal Animal
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2023, 01:36:36 am
content: Quote from: JeffYoung on January 14, 2023, 01:11:34 amThe reason I'd be angry is that it is likely to start circulating rumours that one has to pay for KiCAD. You know, the FUD factor. Hijacking the download link to a promotion/paid link, possibly misleading users. Was it intentional, "hoping" to catch users just trying to download KiCAD, or just a horribly badly made HTML+CSS that nobody tested before pushing online?If you are on the new developer mailing list, it would be interesting to know if there has been any backlash or discussion there about it.The underlying idea, developers selling paid support, I think is a perfectly good idea and good thing to do; I have absolutely no issues with that.It's only the way that the promotion link was put on the page, confusing users that were just trying to download KiCAD (and the negative rumours and such that that may generate), that would infuriate myself.

author: JeffYoung
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 14, 2023, 02:13:13 am
content: I guess it's just different perspectives. FOSS is fundamentally crowd-sourced. Someone put up the buggy HTML/CSS. Someone else noticed it and reported it. Someone fixed it.For me, that's everything working as it should....