<p>Our IT gal is setting up forums sometime this month. </p>
<p>How do other mailing lists deal with digest replies? Email me if you know of some option on maiman that replies to the original thread.</p>
<p>Alicia</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Mar 5, 2013 6:10 PM, "Nathan Seidle" <<a href="mailto:nathan@sparkfun.com">nathan@sparkfun.com</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_extra">Hi Matt - <div class="gmail_quote"><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div>Would you extend that train of thought far enough to include processes in addition to components? Like, if the connector has to be physically conditioned (I'm thinking like a new baseball glove) before it will work correctly, then do those details also have to be released?<br>
</div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>SparkFun shares a lot of its process because we think its kind of neat and we enjoy sharing. But withholding a process (such as how to batch program Arduino Fios) does not impede a person from replicating your work, it does however impeded their ability to build lots of an item or build an item to a level of quality. Rule of thumb: Is there enough shared that I can learn how to build my own copy? If the answer is yes, then it's open. I'd argue that sharing of processes are outside the realm of OSHW. Good to do, but shouldn't be required.</div>
<div> <br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex"><div></div>
<div>If so, then would you extend it even farther to include things like sourcing? If there's only one factory in the world that makes the thing, or does the thing, and that factory doesn't advertise, then do they have to release contact information to be considered more than partially open? Alternatively, if it can be done anywhere, but it takes a lot of back-and-forth between the project manager and the manufacturer, then do they have to release their internal email traffic so that people know what to ask the manufacturer for?<br>
</div></blockquote></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div>Ah! Great question. Supplier info is one of the things companies, such as SparkFun, hold more guarded. We do not obfuscate datasheets or scratch the tops of ICs but we have not, up to this point, listed contact details on BOMs. Why am I hesitant to disclose all 224 of our supplier's information? </div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">* We have invested lots of money/time in discovering and cultivating that supplier. It can be considered business advantage over other businesses.</div><div class="gmail_extra">
* We don't believe sharing contact information will help the end user be more successful in using our product.</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">It goes back to the question: Is there enough shared that I can learn how to build my own copy? If it's a generic part, it's acceptable but not ideal to leave out supplier info.</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">I'm not married to my views and welcome the debate. (But the google/digest thing is killing me. Hard to follow the threads. Anyone have a better system? Forum?)</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br></div><div class="gmail_extra">Cheers,</div><div class="gmail_extra">-Nathan</div><div class="gmail_extra"><div><font color="#888888">-- <br>Nathan Seidle<br>CEO, SparkFun Electronics Inc<br>
Boulder, CO<br>Phone : <a href="tel:1-303-284-0979" value="+13032840979" target="_blank">1-303-284-0979</a><br>Fax : <a href="tel:1-303-443-0048" value="+13034430048" target="_blank">1-303-443-0048</a> <a value="+13034430048"></a></font></div>
</div></div>
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