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Re: [fsf-community-team] Free Software, What about Free Hardware?
From: |
James Phillips |
Subject: |
Re: [fsf-community-team] Free Software, What about Free Hardware? |
Date: |
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:07:22 -0700 |
User-agent: |
Mutt/1.5.13 (2006-08-11) |
On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 12:22:46PM -0800, Franz Christopher wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I don't know if I am over-stepping my membership in this list by posting
> something out of the blue, however, I have heard a great deal about Free
> Software, but I have yet to hear about Free Hardware. Is there such a thing?
>
> Thinking about it makes me think that hardware manufacturers would stand to
> benefit from Free Hardware, imagine, the hardware manufacturer makes the
> device and the firmware is free to be run for any purpose, free to be
> studied and modified, free to be improved upon and free to be redistributed.
<SNIP!>
> This is something I would purchase in a heartbeat
Would you still purchase it in a heartbeat if it costs twice as much as
the proprietary Hardware?
One reason the freesoftware movement has taken off is the low (still
non-zero) cost of reproduction. If you want something more than a "toy"
(less than 16Mhz, 8bit) you need a Printed Circuit Board. Many
components are sold in quantities of 10,000. Surface MounT components
are difficult, but not impossible for the hobbyist to solder.
>
> Is this something that might happen?
> Where can I find more information regarding this topic?
> Does this sort of thing infringe upon the GNU/GPL in any way?
> I am no hardware expert, is this sort of thing feasible?
>
Linkname: OGP - Welcome to the Open Graphics Project : HomePage
URL: http://wiki.opengraphics.org/tiki-index.php
Last time I enquired, the hardware is ~$1000 and the proprietary
software used for burning the FPGA is even more expensive. I Decided to
make a $1000 donation/subsidy instead (but haven't gotten around to it
yet.)
Linkname: Main Page - Openmoko (Cell phone)
URL: http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Main_Page
Criticism of the project:
http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=48734&start=40#p1879299
"Openmoko dropped the ball in a big pile of manure, and then asked the
community to lick it off." - SpeedEvil
Linkname: WebHome < Main < Reprap
URL: http://reprap.org/bin/view/Main/WebHome
" RepRap is short for Replicating Rapid-prototyper. It is the
practical self-copying 3D printer introduced in the video on
the right - a self-replicating machine. This 3D printer
builds the parts up in layers of plastic. This technology
already exists, but the cheapest commercial machine would
cost you about €30,000. And it isn't even designed so that it
can make itself."
I am not optimistic they will be successful in the near-term. Patents
will likely be a real hurdle, even if you manage produce parts that
self-calibrate the size/clock rate each generation.
Linkname: An Open Source Processor used in Sun SPARC Servers |
OpenSPARC
URL: http://www.opensparc.net/
"Download the only free 64-bit micro processors"
Note that burning this onto an ASIC is not "free" (free as in freedom,
not beer. (hmmm the abiguity of that clarification works.))
I am probably missing some things, but you get the idea. For software
development, you get a $2000 dollar machine, free software and you are
rolling (unless you are doing enough number crunching to need more
computing power). Depending what you are doing in electronics, the costs
of the equipment and parts can quickly escalate: especially if you make a
mistake you are not able to re-work.
Then there is the issue of certification to consider. I think each
certification you get will easily cost $1000, but don't quote me on that :)
Certification could be required (such as UL or CSA) before you plug your
device into the wall by your insurance company. As far as I can tell,
CSA does periodic factory inspections, so there is no way to keep a
one-off or short-lived product certified (destructive testing aside). I
have also started looking for USB certification in USB devices to gain
some extra confidence they will work with tho OS(s) of my choice. A USB
oscilliscope I am interested in is not USB certified, but Linux is
supported, so I may make an exception :)
Linkname: Syscomp Electronic Design Ltd.
URL: http://www.syscompdesign.com/DSO101.html
(My current "workstation" does not meet the minimum system requirements
:P (I have replacement hardware, but need to play "musical computers"))
For electronics I recommend starting small. So far, I have built
lighting systems for my bike (essentially a flashlight). I am thinking
of making the leap to LED headlamps which require better cooling (lower
operating temperature) and a current source instead of a voltage source
(more complicated circuitry) when compared to the Halogen light I can't
get replacement bulbs for. That reminds me of another thing: if you are
using bleeding-edge components you may want to buy 10,000 if you want to
avoid re-working your design every 2-3 years.
Regards,
James Phillips