Can one do an OSHW project without a website? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Random Model Maker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2017, 06:27:31 pm
content: Hello people,First of all: this might be a stupid question. Please forgive me if I miss the obvious.I just realised a project, first time I did this from blank paper all the way to custom PCB and enclosure.In the spirit of the electronics community and free knowledge in general, I would like to make it open source.That being said, I do not have an own website, blog, facebook acccount or anything in that category, where I could publish the files.I bet there is a place everybody but me knows about, where I could publish the files.By the way, would you publish the PCB documents as Gerbers?GreetsIvo

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 31, 2017, 06:39:41 pm
content: Hi,Try here:www.hackster.ioI'm sure there will be more similar places.If you publish Gerbers only people could build it. If you publish schematic people could collaborate improving or expanding the project. Your choice.

author: Random Model Maker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2017, 06:44:37 pm
content: Thank You,well I was thinking about publishing a schematic as well, but my question was about uploading the PCB as Gerber rather than Altium doc, as I presume only people with Altium would be able to open it.

author: Random Model Maker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2017, 11:10:05 pm
content: GitHub!Could have thought of that one. I always thought it was only for code.I was actually thinking of slightly limiting the amount of stuff I make accessible to the community, as the market that it is going to be targeting (it's going to be a slotcar speed controller) is very "misunderstanding" of the Open Source spirit.Most people in the german slotting community are very nice and honest, but there are quite a few black sheep.I have to fear that pretty much as soon as some individuals get hold of the schematic, somebody will have ripped off my design and undercut me big time.That said, I do believe the risk is very low that these people dwell around much on GitHub.I think it is actually worth taking that risk, as I will have to do customer service on these, so if somebody could access the schematic, would save me quite some work.Plus, I will not "market" it as OSHW as such, except for the little logo on there.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 31, 2017, 11:52:21 pm
content: Quote from: Random Model Maker on October 31, 2017, 11:10:05 pm

author: Random Model Maker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2017, 11:54:59 pm
content: Don't worry Dave, if I will make an open source project, I will publish everything I have.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 04:27:17 am
content: Quote from: Random Model Maker on October 31, 2017, 11:54:59 pmI'm not worried, I don't care, it's entirely up to you.Don't feel obligated by anyone to publish everything, publish what you want to publish.There are *always* limits to what people publish with OSHW, even the "purists" don't release trulyeverything.

author: donotdespisethesnake
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 10:41:25 am
content: Quote from: Random Model Maker on October 31, 2017, 11:10:05 pmIf you have that fear, you DO NOT release it as Open Source.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 11:06:27 am
content: Quote from: Random Model Maker on October 31, 2017, 06:44:37 pmIf you want to follow the "official" OSHW definition then youmustrelease the Altium design files. The gerber files are not enough as they are not the "design files"https://www.oshwa.org/definition/Quote

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 11:08:17 am
content: Quote from: Random Model Maker on October 31, 2017, 11:10:05 pmIf all your products value is in the schematic, then you are doing it wrong.

author: Random Model Maker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 11:15:09 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on November 01, 2017, 11:06:27 amI just watched your first video on the rules, and if it was true OSHW, I'd redraw it in Kicad.Now, I'm being a bit deterred from the idea, as I would have to publish all that stuff I don't have.All the project is made of is a schematic, a PCB and a tiny snippet of code.Granted, I'll publish that anyways, for said reason that people can fix the thing; to quote the philosopher AvE: "If you're not allowed to fix it, do you own it?"

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 11:18:00 am
content: Quote from: Random Model Maker on November 01, 2017, 11:15:09 amNo one will begrudge you using Altium.QuoteRelease whatever you feel comfortable releasing.Even the most die-hard OSHW advocates can't deny that even the official OSHW definition (and it's signatories) says this:Quote

author: Random Model Maker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 11:20:47 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on November 01, 2017, 11:08:17 amI am almost certainly doing it wrong Dave.But yes, there's not all the value in the schematic, but it's easy enough to go on from there. It's not a complicated product.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 11:47:59 am
content: Quote from: Random Model Maker on November 01, 2017, 11:20:47 amIf it's a good enough idea and there is money in it then people don't need your OSHW files to copy it.And for niche products it's usually not worth copying and competing with the original designer commercially.My uCurrent for example has been open source hardware since April 2009 and it's sold very well over that time. But while some people have made their own and also sold their own variant, no one has yet to compete with sales of my own units, yet it's trivial (and legal, minus the EEVblog and uCurrent names) for someone to do so if they desire.

author: Random Model Maker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 12:06:20 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on November 01, 2017, 11:47:59 amGood argument. Maybe I'm just cynical.

author: perieanuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 06:14:22 pm
content: Quote from: Random Model Maker on October 31, 2017, 06:44:37 pmDon’t worry about altiumput the schematic and someone will convert that to eagle or some other swWe appreciate contributionsEnvoyé de mon iPad en utilisant Tapatalk

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 01, 2017, 09:27:01 pm
content: Quote from: perieanuo on November 01, 2017, 06:14:22 pmYou do know that Eagle is not free software, right?

author: perieanuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2017, 06:53:21 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on November 01, 2017, 09:27:01 pmYes it is for small boards,you didn't specify when I posted. That's not the point the point is here in this forum you find people who may get you with some ideas if you put the schematics online. The rest is filosophyEnvoyé de mon HUAWEI NXT-L29 en utilisant Tapatalk

author: maleetronic
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 06, 2017, 12:59:00 am
content: There is also a new website from Electropages coming this Month, hopefully?https://www.electromaker.io