[Discuss] [DIYbio] Re: open hardware documentation survey

[John Griessen]

On 03/25/2013 08:08 AM, Matthias Bock wrote:
> I am very much missing an open repository for the development of hardware,
> for electrical schematics as well as for mechanical plans, for collaborative working, design of construction manuals and so on.
> I don't have a lot of time, but I would be ready to contribute to it with programming if necessary.
> The gEDA-js project may be of interest in this context (javascript schematics design):
> https://github.com/matthiasbock/gEDA-js

I don't think you have to do everything by committee -- but it does help to discuss ideas,
and aim for something widely appealing, since a repository with purpose of disseminating
is by definition about inclusion broadly.  Single people can get loads done.  I think the reaction
of "yet another repository attempt"  was just critical conclusion they didn't go far enough,
that they hadn't actually done much hardware or wetware design to know what was needed.
Someone will innovate something good soon.  And it won't look like the docs for break out boards...
instead it will be the data you need to quickly decide feasibility and then go build things.

I'm busy, but will give your gEDA-js a look.  I use gEDA tools for design with a project directory
method of making the work sharable.  A good thing to look at may be the frameworks for provisioning
web servers -- puppet, chef, salt.  They have the concept that running a kind of checklist again and again
with incremental changes keeps the setup up to date.  Like makefiles, but in ruby or python language.
And they deal with keys and encryption and web site certs out of the box.  The list of dependencies
to get to a web-site/web-app method of sharing OSHW and open wetware could become long, but the list
of data types is long too, so that might be necessary.