Open Hardware

Citation: Patrick McNamara (2007/09) Open Hardware. Open Source Business Resource (RSS)
Internet Archive Scholar (search for fulltext): Open Hardware
Download: http://www.osbr.ca/ojs/index.php/osbr/article/view/379/340
Tagged: open source (RSS), open hardware (RSS)

Summary

Author articulates several ways in which hardware can be "open" and provides rationales corresponding to open source software.

Interface: "all the documentation on how to make a piece of hardware perform the function for which it is designed is available"

Design: "enough detailed documentation is provided that a functionally compatible device could be created by a third party"

Implementation: "the complete bill of materials necessary to construct the device is available fall into the category of Open Implementation ... Everything needed to reproduce an exact copy of a device is available

Rationales provided are a mix of those provided for free and open source software: "You can use it as you see fit", "You can make it better for everyone", "Open hardware can sell more units", and "Open hardware has the potential to speed development of new devices".

Finally author describes rationale for an Open Hardware Foundation with respect to the development of a particular open hardware project.

Theoretical and Practical Relevance

The "Open Hardware Foundation" appears to be defunct, but the concept of "open (source) hardware" is recurrent; this paper provides a breakdown of some basic ways hardware may be open, useful reading for anyone reinventing the concept.