The open source software movement started in the 1980s is now a huge impact today. The open source hardware appeared earlier, and it was already in the 1960s. Although the hardware open source has been firmly existed in the small circle, it is developed, but the cost and technical threshold of open source hardware itself determines it at present.
The open source software movement started in the 1980s is now a huge impact today. The open source hardware appeared earlier, and it was already in the 1960s. Although the hardware open source has been firmly existed in the small circle, it is developed, but the cost and technical threshold of open source hardware itself determines that it cannot be widely spread in the current environment, and cannot obtain a cognition like open source software. After all, most users do not rewrite open source software, but at least install and use, but many open source hardware products have thresholds. Recently, a series of successful open source hardware projects on Kickstarter allows you to re-file interest in open source hardware, and a series of events also pushed Kickstarter and open source hardware on the rod. Today, let's talk about open source hardware.
Open source computer: gold era
In the last century, there is a lot of private computer clubs. Everyone designs the route, purchasing general electronic components to make computer, write systems, and software. Everyone share hardware design, discuss how to build a system, many of the amenities in computer areas grow from these clubs, such as Jobs and Woz. Therefore, when the apple II was launched, Jobs also opened all the wiring lines and related data of this computer's motherboard, so that open source hardware developers can do an Apple II by drawing. In the times relatively simple in the hardware, hardware hackers are not less than the software hackers, compared to the golden age of open source computers and open source hardware.
Before and after opening sources in the 1980s, more and more hardware manufacturers began to close their own hardware products. "Why do we want to open source?" From a business perspective, closed source is more obvious for his own benefits, and this situation will continue to now. Today, the complexity of hardware products is also improved, and hardware hackers have to completely start DIY from zero, it is not easy, and the existing product is more refurbished. More. But in general, it is now no longer the same as the Utopian's general hardware open source era.
Raspberry Pie: Imagination is greater than performance
Ordinary users pursue high performance, multi-function, but there are many fans to pursue "just enough" and expand space. The Raspberry Party is an open source hardware that appears in this need. Equipped with a standardized hardware interface, with strong expansion and low prices. The open source system Linux combines this open source hardware and can present a lot of play. Whether it is a lightweight host, or as a multimedia entertainment terminal of the living room, it is a good choice. In the programmer, it is a programming terminal that is easy to carry and use, in the game fan, can be modified into small game hosts.
If you need to collaborate, it can also be used as a small local server. Of course, if you have strong hands-on, it is not possible to create your own Google Glass, just like Zack Freedman's PI in the face.
Now, the Raspberry Part seems to have become a general substrate, and many open source projects are developed based on this small board.
Mature systems with complete hardware, allowing the Raspberry Pist to be used by ordinary users, or allow hardware hackers to play imagination. It can be tentacked, and it also breaks some of the technical barriers of open source hardware, slightly explore, and ordinary people can make it shot. Therefore, the success of the Raspberry Party is not an accident.
Open source notebook: custom-on-one
The Raspberry Pie is closer to a lightweight desktop host and substrate, more open free. Then, the top-source notebook of the top hacker Andrew Huang, the top of Bennie, is closer to the traditional open source hardware, the goal is to make a notebook for programmers that apply to him. This open source notebook does not pile up high-end hardware, but everything is based on enough and free custom-oriented, and the programmable interface and expansion interface are kept as much as possible, which gives this machine powerful customization capability.
Mainstream hardware products, whether it is computer or mobile phones, in order to meet daily needs, performance is basically in an excess state. Therefore, Bennie's open source notebook uses the quad-core ARM CPU, model is Freescale IMX6, which is only 14mm thick motherboards, it is also possible to plug under the keyboard of most notebooks. This notebook may not be popular than the Raspberry, but its practicality will not be poor than it. If you are a notebook, Bennie's open source notebook is your dish.
Open source game machine and 3D printer: profit model
Open source hardware has developed to today, but it is not limited to computers, and there are many forms, such as game consoles. In Kickstarter, financing $ 8.6 million open source game machine Ouya, which is officially shipped today. On January 10, all the first batch of users who book Ouya game consoles can receive the first engineering machine.
This open source game console also announced hardware designed and customized systems (Android 4.0), with a small host and two separately designed game handles and touchpads. It is also suitable for hardware hackers to modify and adjust. Hardware projects implemented through Kickstarter financing is much more, and through this model, you can use the products that you are approved, put in production, which is in line with open source spirit and mass needs. Ouya Game Machine is actually a representative of these successful cases, which meets the characteristics of open source hardware, it is customizable like the Raspberry Pist, but also catering to the demand of the Po: Extreme usability and playability, And you can also occupy a place in the living room game machine market (Android games are a lot!).
Another famous open source project BakerBot Replicator 3D printer is also a successful case. This 3D printer cost is much cheaper than the product of 10,000 US dollars, as long as $ 1799.
Importantly, there is a Tangibot 3D printer project on Kickstarter, which is based on BakerBot Replicator to modify the implementation, which compresses costs to $ 1199. This completely conforming to open source demand and spiritual project, has been attacked by 3D printing community, but in many hardware open source enthusiasts, Tangibot is an important turning point because it presents the development trend of open source hardware: Some hardware Hackers continue to R & D and innovation, and the other part can be like Tangibot's project initiator Matter, and through engineering technology to reduce product production costs, more people get more benefits from the project.
AdaFRuit Industries' innovative director, "Manufacturing" magazine Advanced editing Phillip Torrone is one of the important supporters of Tangibot. He gave this project to this project in tangibot's Kickstarter page: "You can copy or clone open source projects and open source hardware is not only available, but it is worth celebrating. The purpose of open source hardware is not only a sharing excellent design, but also included It adds more value to the world when designing sharing and improving. "
It can be said that more open source hardware is also starting to start, and it also has a rich open source taste. There are still many foreign platforms similar to Kickstarter, and many people's dreams are achieved, while similar websites in China also have several, such as some name time. Just, these sites are not so moisturizing than Kickstarter.
Under the great dream, it is a realistic brutal and heavy "profit" two words. These products have developed through these limited financing channels to today. Due to the lack of appropriate intermediate links, these good products full of wisdom and design did not maximize their role, including only a few of them to go to the mass market. But in any case, a group of open source hardware products emerging in these two years seems to have gradually touched the edge of idealization design and the demand of the mass market. If these financing platforms and product incubation platforms can be combined with the market, the spring of the open source hardware is really coming.
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