[Discuss] Possible abuse of the term "open source hardware"

Tom Igoe tom.igoe at gmail.com
Fri Mar 15 21:12:37 UTC 2013


I'll take that and forward it on to my team, thanks.  Doesn't sound too Arduino-compatible either.

t.

On Mar 15, 2013, at 4:54 PM, malcolm stanley wrote:

> Hey, can i play too?
> 
> I got this email from Nordic Semi and when I went to look there were NO open source drawings or other materials at all on the vendor web site...
> 
> Product Related News
> MODULES: ARDUINO OPEN SOURCE PROTOTYPING
> World's first Arduino-compatible micro-computer with Bluetooth low energy allows electronics makers to add smartphones and tablets to their projects
> 
> 
> Wireless startup 'Open Source RF' releases the 'RFduino' for the rapidly-growing open source electronics maker movement which will support thousands of applications and is based on a Bluetooth v4.0 compatible module (the RFD51822) that employs Nordic's multiple award-winning nRF51822 SoC
> 
> Oslo, Norway	2013/03/13
> Ultra low power (ULP) RF specialist Nordic Semiconductor ASA (OSE: NOD) today announces from wireless startup 'Open Source RF' – launched onKickStarter.com – the world's first 'Arduino' compatible open-source micro-computer that can communicate wirelessly with any Bluetooth® v4.0 (which includes Bluetooth low energy as a hallmark feature) compatible smartphone (including the iPhone® 4S/5) or tablet (such as the 3rd and 4th generation iPad® or the iPad mini) and is based on a new RFD51822 module that is based on the multiple-award winning Nordic nRF51822 SoC ('System-on-Chip') developed by Nordic's long standing module partner and wireless specialist, RF Digital.
> 
> 
> Called the 'RFduino' and making full use of the Nordic nRF51822's powerful on-board 32-bit ARM® Cortex™ M0-based processor, this fully FCC and CE-compliant 2.4GHz wireless coin-sized micro-computer is designed to allow both electroincs makers (e.g. students, hobbyists, amateurs) and professional devel...
> 
> Read more...
> 
> _________________________________________
> malcolm stanley
> 
> google.voice:  215.821.6252        
> Cell: 267.251.9479   <------------- new
> email: a.malcolm.stanley at gmail.com
> twitter / linkedin: amstanley
> Read my blog at http://soaringhorse.blogspot.com
> _________________________________________
> 
> 
> On Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 4:45 PM, Windell H. Oskay <windell at oskay.net> wrote:
> Hey there, OSHW aficionados, 
>   While browsing stackexchange today, I came across a banner ad for Pogo Linux, selling "[The Best Open Source Hardware] for your IT department."     Naturally I was interested, because, hey-- open source servers --neat!
> 
> 
> I'm attempting to attach my screenshot of the banner ad to this e-mail.  If it doesn't work, I've cached it as well, here:
> http://evilmadscientist.s3.amazonaws.com/scratch/pogo_linux_banner.png
> 
> 
> Anyway, from their About page (http://www.pogolinux.com/about/) Pogo Linux sells "Hardware Built for Open-Source" -- rackmount servers that run linux and so forth.   But... so far as I can tell, they do not sell any actual OSHW-definition compliant products.   (Or do they, and just not indicate that clearly?)
> 
> 
> On this page, they further state "Trust the experience of Pogo Linux for the best-supported Open-Source hardware in the industry" :
> http://www.pogolinux.com/products/go/intel-xeon-servers.php?pm=vmw16883
> 
> 
> I'm afraid that this is not a good thing.  To the extent that we care about the term "Open Source Hardware" having a clearly defined meaning-- one that can be used to hold up a false-advertising claim for those that abuse the term --I think that we should care about how the term is used, and do our best to prevent dilution of its meaning.
> 
> 
> <pogo_linux_banner.png>
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> -Windell
> 
> 
> 
> Windell H. Oskay, Ph.D.
> Co-Founder and Chief Scientist
> Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories
> 175 San Lazaro Ave, STE 150 
> Sunnyvale CA 94086
> http://www.evilmadscientist.com/
> 
> 
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