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This page hosts the current proposed Open Source Hardware (OSHW) Statement of Principles and Definition v1.0. The statement of principles is a high-level overview of the ideals of open-source hardware. The definition is an attempt to apply those ideals to a standard by which to evaluate licenses for hardware designs. | This page hosts the current proposed Open Source Hardware (OSHW) Statement of Principles and Definition v1.0. The statement of principles is a high-level overview of the ideals of open-source hardware. The definition is an attempt to apply those ideals to a standard by which to evaluate licenses for hardware designs. | ||
To endorse the Open Source Hardware Definition 1.0, please add your name (and affiliation) [ | To endorse the Open Source Hardware Definition 1.0, please add your name (and affiliation) | ||
[http://freedomdefined.org/OSHW#Endorsements below] | |||
[ | [http://freedomdefined.org/OSHW_older_drafts Older drafts of the definition are also available]. | ||
Compiled community feedback from previous versions of the Definition can be found [http://www.openhardwaresummit.org/compiled-feedback/ here] | Compiled community feedback from previous versions of the Definition can be found [http://www.openhardwaresummit.org/compiled-feedback/ here] | ||
If you would like to propose changes to the statement of principles or definition, please do so on the [ | If you would like to propose changes to the statement of principles or definition, please do so on the [http://freedomdefined.org/OSHW_draft work-in-progress draft]. And, please edit while signed in, not anonymously. | ||
''Please join the conversation about the definition [http://openhardwaresummit.org/forum here]'' | ''Please join the conversation about the definition [http://openhardwaresummit.org/forum here]'' | ||
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== Open Source Hardware (OSHW) Statement of Principles 1.0 == | == Open Source Hardware (OSHW) Statement of Principles 1.0 == | ||
Open source hardware is hardware whose design is made publicly available so that anyone can study, modify, distribute, make | Open source hardware is hardware whose design is made publicly available so that anyone can study, modify, distribute, make and sell the design or hardware based on that design. The hardware's source, the design from which it is made, is available in the preferred format for making modifications to it. Ideally, open source hardware uses readily-available components and materials, standard processes, open infrastructure, unrestricted content, and open-source design tools to maximize the ability of individuals to make and use hardware. Open source hardware gives people the freedom to control their technology while sharing knowledge and encouraging commerce through the open exchange of designs. | ||
== Open Source Hardware (OSHW) Definition 1.0 == | == Open Source Hardware (OSHW) Definition 1.0 == | ||
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Open Source Hardware (OSHW) is a term for tangible artifacts -- machines, devices, or other physical things -- whose design has been released to the public in such a way that anyone can make, modify, distribute, and use those things. This definition is intended to help provide guidelines for the development and evaluation of licenses for Open Source Hardware. | Open Source Hardware (OSHW) is a term for tangible artifacts -- machines, devices, or other physical things -- whose design has been released to the public in such a way that anyone can make, modify, distribute, and use those things. This definition is intended to help provide guidelines for the development and evaluation of licenses for Open Source Hardware. | ||
It is important to note that hardware is different from software in that physical resources must always be committed for the creation of physical goods. Accordingly, persons or companies producing items ("products") under an OSHW license have an obligation not to imply that such products are manufactured, sold, warrantied, or otherwise sanctioned by the original designer and also not to make use of any trademarks owned by the original designer. | |||
The distribution terms of Open Source Hardware must comply with the following criteria: | The distribution terms of Open Source Hardware must comply with the following criteria: | ||
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a) The interfaces are sufficiently documented such that it could reasonably be considered straightforward to write open source software that allows the device to operate properly and fulfill its essential functions. For example, this may include the use of detailed signal timing diagrams or pseudocode to clearly illustrate the interface in operation. | a) The interfaces are sufficiently documented such that it could reasonably be considered straightforward to write open source software that allows the device to operate properly and fulfill its essential functions. For example, this may include the use of detailed signal timing diagrams or pseudocode to clearly illustrate the interface in operation. | ||
b) The necessary software is released under an | b) The necessary software is released under an OSI-approved open source license. | ||
'''4. Derived Works''' | '''4. Derived Works''' | ||
The license shall allow modifications and derived works, and shall allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original work. The license shall allow for the manufacture, sale, distribution, and use of products created from the design files, the design files themselves, and derivatives | The license shall allow modifications and derived works, and shall allow them to be distributed under the same terms as the license of the original work. The license shall allow for the manufacture, sale, distribution, and use of products created from the design files, the design files themselves, and derivatives therof. | ||
'''5. Free redistribution''' | '''5. Free redistribution''' | ||
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== Licenses and Hardware == | == Licenses and Hardware == | ||
In promoting Open Hardware, it is important to | In promoting Open Hardware, it is important not to unintentionally deceive designers regarding the extent to which their licenses actually can control their designs. Under U.S. law, and law in many other places, copyright does not apply to electronic designs. Patents do. The result is that an Open Hardware license can in general be used to restrict the ''plans'' but probably ''not'' the manufactured devices or even restatements of the same design that are not textual copies of the original. The applicable section of copyright law is 17.102(b), which says: | ||
:''In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work.'' | :''In no case does copyright protection for an original work of authorship extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work.'' | ||
== | == Endorsements == | ||
OSHW Draft Definition 1.0 has been endorsed by the following persons and/or organization as of February 9th, 2011. | |||
Please feel free to add (''your own'' names) to this section. Listing your affiliation is optional for personal endorsements, and endorsements are presumed to be personal unless the organization name is listed separately. | |||
''Please join the conversation about the definition [http://openhardwaresummit.org/forum here]'' | |||
* Ayah Bdeir, [http://www.littleBits.cc littleBits.cc]/[http://www.eyebeam.org Eyebeam]/[http://www.creativecommons.org Creative Commons] | |||
* Christian Siefkes, [http://www.keimform.de/ keimform.de] | |||
* John Wilbanks, [http://www.creativecommons.org Creative Commons] | |||
* Windell Oskay, [http://evilmadscience.com/ Evil Mad Science] | |||
* Limor Fried, [http://www.adafruit.com/ Adafruit Industries] | |||
* Phillip Torrone, [http://www.makezine.com/ MAKE magazine] [http://www.adafruit.com/ Adafruit Industries] | |||
* Massimo Banzi [http://www.arduino.cc Arduino] | |||
* Ben Leduc-Mills [http://l3d.cs.colorado.edu/~ctg/Craft_Tech.html Craft Technology Lab] | |||
* Nathan Seidle [http://www.sparkfun.com SparkFun Electronics] | |||
* Tom Igoe, [http://www.arduino.cc Arduino] [http://itp.nyu.edu ITP, NYU] | |||
* David Carrier, [http://www.parallax.com Parallax Inc.] | |||
* Bryan Bishop, [http://gnusha.org/skdb/ SKDB] [http://humanityplus.org/ Humanity+] | |||
* Andrew Plumb, [http://clothbot.com/wiki/Main_Page ClothBot Designs] | |||
* Andrew Stone, [http://www.toastedcircuits.com Toasted Circuits] | |||
* David Siren Eisner, [http://www.inmojo.com InMojo] | |||
* Alicia Gibb [http://www.buglabs.net Bug Labs] | |||
* Andrew Back [http://oshug.org Open Source Hardware User Group] | |||
* Andy Gelme, [http://hackmelbourne.org Connected Community HackerSpace], Melbourne, Australia and [http://geekscape.org Geekscape Pty. Ltd.] | |||
* Will Pickering, [http://www.FunGizmos.com FunGizmos] | |||
* Frédéric Jourdan, [http://shop.snootlab.com Snootlab] | |||
* Jean-Marc Giacalone, [http://www.emakershop.com eMAKERshop] | |||
* Adam Wolf, [http://www.wayneandlayne.com Wayne and Layne] | |||
* Steve Gifford, [http://www.chipstobits.com Chips To Bits] | |||
* David A. Mellis, [http://arduino.cc Arduino] | |||
* Dustyn Roberts, [http://www.dustynrobots.com] [http://itp.nyu.edu NYU-ITP] [http://www.poly.edu NYU-Poly] |