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=== Why make hardware open source? === | === Why make hardware open source? === | ||
=== What files should I share? === | |||
You should share all the files needed to build *and* modify your hardware. | |||
For mechanical stuff, this means CAD drawings, IGES files, or STL files. For electronic projects, this means the schematics and circuit board layouts. With circuit boards, it's better to share the original files rather than Gerber files. (Gerber files are an intermediate format needed for manufacturing, but they're difficult to modify.) | |||
=== What are other best practices for open source hardware? === | === What are other best practices for open source hardware? === | ||
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1. Make it clear how your hardware is licensed by providing a copy of, or at least a web link to, the license with the hardware. | 1. Make it clear how your hardware is licensed by providing a copy of, or at least a web link to, the license with the hardware. | ||
2 | 2. Put the OSHW logo on your hardware. You can find lots of different versions at [http://oshwlogo.com oshwlogo.com]. | ||
3. Keep your source files in a (free) publicly-available source code repository like [http://github.com Github]. This makes it easier for people to track their changes to your files. It also makes it easier for them to send improvements back to you. The tools for this kind of data exchange are still pretty weak for hardware projects, but for software, they're mature. | |||
=== Won't people rip me off? === | === Won't people rip me off? === | ||
People will rip you off in the sense that they will use your designs as the basis for more advanced designs. If you don't want that to happen, you should probably not call your hardware "open source." | |||
Those of us who do build open source hardware want people to build on our designs, or at least think the benefits of the situation are worth the competition. | |||
=== Why aren't non-commercial restrictions compatible with open source hardware? === | === Why aren't non-commercial restrictions compatible with open source hardware? === | ||
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In particular, because making hardware invariably involves money, it's very difficult to make use of a hardware design without involving some commercial activity. For example, say a group of friends wanted to get together and order ten copies of a hardware design - something that's often much cheaper than each person ordering their own copy. If one person places the order and the others pay him back for their share, they'd probably be violating a non-commercial restriction. Or say someone wants to charge people to take a workshop in which they make and keep a copy of your hardware design - that's also commercial activity. In general, there are just very few ways for someone to use a hardware design without involving some sort of commercial activity. | In particular, because making hardware invariably involves money, it's very difficult to make use of a hardware design without involving some commercial activity. For example, say a group of friends wanted to get together and order ten copies of a hardware design - something that's often much cheaper than each person ordering their own copy. If one person places the order and the others pay him back for their share, they'd probably be violating a non-commercial restriction. Or say someone wants to charge people to take a workshop in which they make and keep a copy of your hardware design - that's also commercial activity. In general, there are just very few ways for someone to use a hardware design without involving some sort of commercial activity. | ||
=== Who makes open source hardware? === | |||
=== How to ensure that all modifications to my projects are put back into open source? === | === How to ensure that all modifications to my projects are put back into open source? === | ||
=== Links === | === Links === |