Can one do an OSHW project without a website?

[Random Model Maker]

Hello people,

First of all: this might be a stupid question. Please forgive me if I miss the obvious.
I just realised a project, first time I did this from blank paper all the way to custom PCB and enclosure.
In the spirit of the electronics community and free knowledge in general, I would like to make it open source.
That being said, I do not have an own website, blog, facebook acccount or anything in that category, where I could publish the files.
I bet there is a place everybody but me knows about, where I could publish the files.
By the way, would you publish the PCB documents as Gerbers?

Greets
Ivo

[ElektroQuark]

Hi,

Try here: www.hackster.io

I'm sure there will be more similar places.

If you publish Gerbers only people could build it. If you publish schematic people could collaborate improving or expanding the project. Your choice.

[Random Model Maker]

Thank You,

well I was thinking about publishing a schematic as well, but my question was about uploading the PCB as Gerber rather than Altium doc, as I presume only people with Altium would be able to open it.

[Random Model Maker]

GitHub! Could have thought of that one. I always thought it was only for code. 

I was actually thinking of slightly limiting the amount of stuff I make accessible to the community, as the market that it is going to be targeting (it's going to be a slotcar speed controller) is very "misunderstanding" of the Open Source spirit.
Most people in the german slotting community are very nice and honest, but there are quite a few black sheep.
I have to fear that pretty much as soon as some individuals get hold of the schematic, somebody will have ripped off my design and undercut me big time.
That said, I do believe the risk is very low that these people dwell around much on GitHub.

I think it is actually worth taking that risk, as I will have to do customer service on these, so if somebody could access the schematic, would save me quite some work.
Plus, I will not "market" it as OSHW as such, except for the little logo on there.

[EEVblog]

Plus, I will not "market" it as OSHW as such, except for the little logo on there.

[Random Model Maker]

Don't worry Dave, if I will make an open source project, I will publish everything I have.

[EEVblog]

Don't worry Dave, if I will make an open source project, I will publish everything I have.

I'm not worried, I don't care, it's entirely up to you.
Don't feel obligated by anyone to publish everything, publish what you want to publish.
There are *always* limits to what people publish with OSHW, even the "purists" don't release truly everything.

[donotdespisethesnake]

I have to fear that pretty much as soon as some individuals get hold of the schematic, somebody will have ripped off my design and undercut me big time.

If you have that fear, you DO NOT release it as Open Source.

[EEVblog]

Thank You,
well I was thinking about publishing a schematic as well, but my question was about uploading the PCB as Gerber rather than Altium doc, as I presume only people with Altium would be able to open it.

If you want to follow the "official" OSHW definition then you must release the Altium design files. The gerber files are not enough as they are not the "design files"

https://www.oshwa.org/definition/

The hardware must be released with documentation including design files, and must allow modification and distribution of the design files. Where documentation is not furnished with the physical product, there must be a well-publicized means of obtaining this documentation for no more than a reasonable reproduction cost, preferably downloading via the Internet without charge. The documentation must include design files in the preferred format for making changes, for example the native file format of a CAD program.

[EEVblog]

I have to fear that pretty much as soon as some individuals get hold of the schematic, somebody will have ripped off my design and undercut me big time.

If all your products value is in the schematic, then you are doing it wrong.

[Random Model Maker]

If you want to follow the "official" OSHW definition then you must release the Altium design files. The gerber files are not enough as they are not the "design files"

I just watched your first video on the rules, and if it was true OSHW, I'd redraw it in Kicad. 

Now, I'm being a bit deterred from the idea, as I would have to publish all that stuff I don't have.
All the project is made of is a schematic, a PCB and a tiny snippet of code.
Granted, I'll publish that anyways, for said reason that people can fix the thing; to quote the philosopher AvE: "If you're not allowed to fix it, do you own it?"

[EEVblog]

I just watched your first video on the rules, and if it was true OSHW, I'd redraw it in Kicad. 

No one will begrudge you using Altium.

Now, I'm being a bit deterred from the idea, as I would have to publish all that stuff I don't have.
All the project is made of is a schematic, a PCB and a tiny snippet of code.
Granted, I'll publish that anyways, for said reason that people can fix the thing; to quote the philosopher AvE: "If you're not allowed to fix it, do you own it?"

Release whatever you feel comfortable releasing.
Even the most die-hard OSHW advocates can't deny that even the official OSHW definition (and it's signatories) says this:

The signatories of this Open Source Hardware definition recognize that the open source movement represents only one way of sharing information. We encourage and support all forms of openness and collaboration, whether or not they fit this definition.

[Random Model Maker]

I have to fear that pretty much as soon as some individuals get hold of the schematic, somebody will have ripped off my design and undercut me big time.

If all your products value is in the schematic, then you are doing it wrong.

I am almost certainly doing it wrong Dave.
But yes, there's not all the value in the schematic, but it's easy enough to go on from there. It's not a complicated product.

[EEVblog]

I am almost certainly doing it wrong Dave.
But yes, there's not all the value in the schematic, but it's easy enough to go on from there. It's not a complicated product.

If it's a good enough idea and there is money in it then people don't need your OSHW files to copy it.
And for niche products it's usually not worth copying and competing with the original designer commercially.
My uCurrent for example has been open source hardware since April 2009 and it's sold very well over that time. But while some people have made their own and also sold their own variant, no one has yet to compete with sales of my own units, yet it's trivial (and legal, minus the EEVblog and uCurrent names) for someone to do so if they desire.

[Random Model Maker]

I am almost certainly doing it wrong Dave.
But yes, there's not all the value in the schematic, but it's easy enough to go on from there. It's not a complicated product.

If it's a good enough idea and there is money in it then people don't need your OSHW files to copy it.
And for niche products it's usually not worth copying and competing with the original designer commercially.
My uCurrent for example has been open source hardware since April 2009 and it's sold very well over that time. But while some people have made their own and also sold their own variant, no one has yet to compete with sales of my own units, yet it's trivial (and legal, minus the EEVblog and uCurrent names) for someone to do so if they desire.

Good argument. Maybe I'm just cynical.

[perieanuo]

Thank You,

well I was thinking about publishing a schematic as well, but my question was about uploading the PCB as Gerber rather than Altium doc, as I presume only people with Altium would be able to open it.

Don’t worry about altium put the schematic and someone will convert that to eagle or some other sw
We appreciate contributions


Envoyé de mon iPad en utilisant Tapatalk

[EEVblog]

Don’t worry about altium put the schematic and someone will convert that to eagle or some other sw

You do know that Eagle is not free software, right?

[perieanuo]

Don’t worry about altium put the schematic and someone will convert that to eagle or some other sw

You do know that Eagle is not free software, right?

Yes it is for small boards,you didn't specify when I posted. That's not the point the point is here in this forum you find people who may get you with some ideas if you put the schematics online. The rest is filosophy

Envoyé de mon HUAWEI NXT-L29 en utilisant Tapatalk

[maleetronic]

There is also a new website from Electropages coming this Month, hopefully?

https://www.electromaker.io