Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff

uSupply Custom LCD

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wilfred:

--- Quote from: Monkeh on October 19, 2017, 11:43:20 pm ---And if it's open source, and people want to build one, and they don't want to try and get one of your custom LCDs.. well, it's open source. They can change the design, put a graphic LCD in, and change the display code to use it. Yay, open source.

It's about learning, sharing, and adapting, not outright copying.

--- End quote ---

Some people might just want to make one themselves. That's why the design files (all of them) are made available on open source projects. People who make their own copy ought not be regarded as lesser members of the community than those who can, or want to make changes. Outright copying is perfectly valid. It certainly isn't an issue with software.

A custom component on what is claimed to be open source hardware may just be a way to hinder copying on a commercial scale and confine people to maybe only making firmware changes to single sourced commercial hardware.

I regard true open source as facilitating the copying of the device. That way those who want one can make it and those who see a way to make improvement or modifications can do that and share it. In that way the community can set in train a process of evolution that leads to a place the original make may not have envisaged. Successful open source projects share that in common. The ones that attempt to make sharing more difficult face a steeper hill to climb. That gradient may be custom components, binary-blobs, design files in proprietry formats or single language documentation.

jaycee:

--- Quote from: wilfred on October 20, 2017, 12:25:15 am ---Some people might just want to make one themselves. That's why the design files (all of them) are made available on open source projects. People who make their own copy ought not be regarded as lesser members of the community than those who can, or want to make changes. Outright copying is perfectly valid. It certainly isn't an issue with software.

A custom component on what is claimed to be open source hardware may just be a way to hinder copying on a commercial scale and confine people to maybe only making firmware changes to single sourced commercial hardware.

I regard true open source as facilitating the copying of the device. That way those who want one can make it and those who see a way to make improvement or modifications can do that and share it. In that way the community can set in train a process of evolution that leads to a place the original make may not have envisaged. Successful open source projects share that in common. The ones that attempt to make sharing more difficult face a steeper hill to climb. That gradient may be custom components, binary-blobs, design files in proprietry formats or single language documentation.

--- End quote ---

Dave can quite easily provide you with the specs for the display, and you can go and have the display made yourself. Then it's still open source.

wilfred:

--- Quote from: jaycee on October 20, 2017, 12:33:11 am ---Dave can quite easily provide you with the specs for the display, and you can go and have the display made yourself. Then it's still open source.

--- End quote ---

I'm not talking about this device. I read a few posts earlier where Dave categorically states his position  on making this an OSHW project.

He says.

 "and right down the bottom:
5) Think about were (sic) OSHW comes into it."

And if you read his first four items in the list it is pretty bloody clear.

So I was responding to another post which amongst other things is  either indirectly or intentionally confusing this projects aims and making a judgement I disagree with about the nature of OSHW.

Specifically that those who copy an OSHW design to make one for themselves are not entering in to the true spirit of OSHW. And secondly that claiming this project is open source when Dave has basically said right at the bottom of the list is considering OSHW aspects.

EEVblog:

--- Quote from: wilfred on October 20, 2017, 12:25:15 am ---I regard true open source as facilitating the copying of the device.

--- End quote ---

That's a nice ideal, but not practical in many circumstances.


--- Quote ---That way those who want one can make it and those who see a way to make improvement or modifications can do that and share it.

--- End quote ---

Which is in practice a fraction of a percent of people will will ever use/buy/build the product.


--- Quote ---In that way the community can set in train a process of evolution that leads to a place the original make may not have envisaged.

--- End quote ---

Having custom parts does not prevent that. In the case of this PSU for example, people might take the circuit and use different case which might mean a different display choice anyway, or they might want to change the display as part of the project evolution etc


--- Quote ---Successful open source projects share that in common.

--- End quote ---

Exclusively? Really? Got proof of that?


--- Quote ---The ones that attempt to make sharing more difficult face a steeper hill to climb. That gradient may be custom components, binary-blobs, design files in proprietry formats or single language documentation.

--- End quote ---

Once again, got proof of that?, or is that just your opinion?

What if custom parts are the only way to make the product better? Do you forgo a better and more usable or cheaper or whatever product just because of some arbitrary open source hardware ideal using "off-the-shelf" parts?

Please go design a truly open source hardware (as you envisage it) handheld multimeter for example, and see what kind of usable product you get out it...

Dubbie:
I really like what Whales came up with.

Good information hierarchy.

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