Comments on: KiCad Advises Linux Users to Stick with X11 for Professional PCB Design

By: Skalamanga

Skalamanga — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 15:22:57 +0000

In reply to Sy. Wayland works fine for me, including kicad.

By: Toby

Toby — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 07:15:43 +0000

It’s the same with a lot of other professional software on Linux. I’m a freelancing GIS analyst, working with Python, R and QGIS. QGIS has the same problems on Wayland as KiCad. In fact, one QGIS developer just linked to the KiCad blog post and said they couldn’t describe it better.

In addition to my analysis work, I also design the print layout for maps and reports. I’ve worked as a graphic designer before I studied and became GIS analyst. I use Krita, Gimp, Inkscape and Scribus with a Wacom-Tablet. On Wayland nothing works. My tablet has maybe 25 % of its capabilities and I can completely forget about colour management. On X11, the initial setup might be a bit cumbersome, but at least everything works.

Already 15 years ago, the developers of a lot of professional software on Linux warned the Wayland team about these problems. The Wayland devs laughed about them as “niche use cases”. They don’t need the features, so others also don’t need them. I see myself still using X11 way into the 1930s. By then, Wayland will be over 20 years old and will still not have replaced X11.

By: Rafflesia

Rafflesia — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 01:08:33 +0000

In reply to LBJsPNS. It will actually be the Linux desktop which fades into irrelevance if it doesn't fix it's issues with Wayland and infighting (of which gnome is the most harmful to the Wayland spec)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 22:56:37 +0000

So they don’t want us using it. Fine by me.

By: LBJsPNS

LBJsPNS — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 13:36:43 +0000

Brilliant. So as more distributions drop support for X11, KiCad will either have to move into the modern world or fade into irrelevance.

By: Sy

Sy — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 11:23:58 +0000

So yeah, maybe in another 15 years Wayland becomes actually usable, lol.

By: xil

xil — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 09:47:24 +0000

The windows positions is really one of the most stupid limitations of waylaid and really has nothing to do with security or simplicity but just designers who feel it’s not need (for them)

By: Pepe

Pepe — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:57:47 +0000

They’re suffering from their own selfishness. I stopped using Kicad a few years ago. They’re very self-centered and reject proposals that are normally common in the hobby world because they’re very professional and aren’t interested.
Now it’s clear how limited they are.