I don't really get what they're saying with "visual diffs". Normal practice is to have a side-bar with a list of differences between versions. That makes it pretty clear what was added or removed. Using colours kind of fails because (for just a two sided PCB) you have two copper sides, one (maybe two) component sides, and these already use a bunch of different colour.
Whatever you do with "visual diffs" needs to work in monochrome - you have people working with traditional blueprints, or with mono printers. Heck, you still (in the 21st century!) have people using fax machines.
This all sounds really negative, but it isn't. It's a great idea, I just hope they can make it work.
I started out thinking that visual diffs for PCB artwork was a great idea, but as I think it through, I don't see a whole lot of value.
Circuit board layout is not like code where you can reduce changes to diffs. Often you want to look at the entire layout because the change may have a side effect that you don't see from just the diff: e.g., re-routing a 120VAC input line near the connector that your pH sensor connects to. The layout is all that has changed, but that change can have an effect on something completely unrelated.
Absolutely version control for schematics/artwork is a good idea: that's a given. But I'm not sold on being able to visually diff the changes.
On an unrelated note: did that PCB layout shown make anyone else cringe? I still shudder thinking about it.
I don't really get what they're saying with "visual diffs". Normal practice is to have a side-bar with a list of differences between versions. That makes it pretty clear what was added or removed. Using colours kind of fails because (for just a two sided PCB) you have two copper sides, one (maybe two) component sides, and these already use a bunch of different colour.
Whatever you do with "visual diffs" needs to work in monochrome - you have people working with traditional blueprints, or with mono printers. Heck, you still (in the 21st century!) have people using fax machines.
This all sounds really negative, but it isn't. It's a great idea, I just hope they can make it work.