Microchip's attempt at Open Source didn't pan out as expected - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 08, 2011, 11:13:59 am
content: Here is an interesting article posted to[OH Updates]mail list by Philip Torr?neQuoteI wonder why Mcrochip play it the way they do...

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2011, 05:02:51 pm
content: Quote from: HAL-42b on September 08, 2011, 11:13:59 amAs you can see from other companies, because management wants to reap the benefits from open [hardware|source] but don't want to take the responsibilities that come with it. And, because management is shitting their pants for fear of losing control.Open [hardware|source] is a balance of give and take. You can take my design and change it, as compensation you give your design in return so others can change it.Companies like Microchip think the "can change it" part is not part of the give-and-take deal. They think giving something you can't change is enough to reap the open [hardware|source] benefits. Some of these companies even feel insulted when open h|s advocates insist on the full and complete deal. They give something for free and this thankless open s|h lot ...What the companies don't get is that the open s|h lot is very much aware that those companies just want to use them to their advantage, and that companies like Microchip aren't charities. They want people to work for free and promote the particular half-open product. But that's not how it works. People don't work for free, they work for the open source|hardware rights. If they can't get these they walk away.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 08, 2011, 06:18:28 pm
content: I don't trust a big company to be simply dumb. I mean they could have played it much more gracefully and still retain their source closed. Why not for example hire a guy to start "white room" style and do everything open source? Their existing toolchain would remain closed, they get into OSHW community in a honest way, they'd have a public face for the OSHW branch, and all this is both cheap easily scalable.Either I am naive or they are really just dumb.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2011, 07:05:38 pm
content: Quote from: HAL-42b on September 08, 2011, 06:18:28 pmI have dealt with a few companies that did some half-open source. The last being a "leading semiconductor manufacturer", which had an "open" design with embedded Linux and all that. Ready to take for customers and make into their own product.It just required an NDA for the "open" hardware design. And their Linux needed two proprietary device drivers from them. Both of which you could license for a "small" fee from them. And one of the drivers was required at boot and couldn't be loaded as a module. That effectively meant we had to make a derived work of GPL software (the Linux kernel) and their proprietary device driver, which violates the GPL. We refused.I met two types of people in the trenches there. Those how knew their company was doing something stupid, were embarrassed about it, and tried to give us subtle unofficial hints about the mess awaiting us. And the ones giving a shit and just singing the company song.Both types had no actual say in the decisions that lead up to the mess. Those decisions were done by managers removed from reality who hadn't a clue and didn't care. In case of the "leading semiconductor manufacturer" the decision makers were even sitting on another continent. These decisions are made by people who were used to other people playing by their rules, and for which these decisions were small fish, probably done in a single, boring meeting of a bunch of wankers. And of course in line with some imaginary corporate marketing strategy and vision.This stuff is not important for decision makers. If it turns out that it doesn't work they shrug, tell everyone that open source doesn't work and mess up the next thing.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 08, 2011, 07:53:02 pm
content: Quote from: BoredAtWork on September 08, 2011, 07:05:38 pmNo wonder more and more people are getting out of it all and working on their own. Dave, Ladyada and many more simply choose to swim out.Quote from: BoredAtWork on September 08, 2011, 07:05:38 pmFrighteningly DilbertianMaybe if we open source management.....

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 08, 2011, 10:28:58 pm
content: Microchip responded.And you can see my response too:http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/09/microchip-responds.htmlDave.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 08, 2011, 11:02:43 pm
content: Great response Dave, prevented a good deal of blind euphoria and reminded the folks of where the real deal is.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2011, 01:00:10 am
content: Perhaps Microchip is ashamed of the code for the usb and ethernet. That is the reason they haven't release it!Alexander.