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Not Open Source Hardware.

e14 Contributor

Hello,

 

Firstly, I would like to make clear that I am a huge fan of the Raspberry Pi and I cannot wait to pick one (or three!) up for myself. However, can we just set the record straight: it is not open source hardware — the schematics and/or Gerber files etc. are not provided and made available under a suitably liberal licence, i.e. as per:

 

http://www.opensource.org/osd.html

 

It runs open source software, but then so can an Apple laptop and an IBM mainframe. Please cease referring to this as open source hardware, which is something quite different. For further clarity, see:

 

http://freedomdefined.org/OSHW#Open_Source_Hardware_.28OSHW.29_Definition_1.0

 

and:

 

http://wiki.openhardware.org/Project:Certified_Open_Hardware_License_Approval_Process

 

This is not to downplay the RP which is an incredible achievement, and having met David and Liz last year and discussed this with them I have a little insight into perhaps why it is, for now at least, a proprietary (closed) hardware design.

 

Regards,

 

Andrew

  • in reply to fustini

    Potentially good news from Liz at RaspberryPi.org in regards to if releasing the design files:

     

    http://www.raspberrypi.org/archives/723#comment-13576

     

    Not yet, because not all of the chips are available in distribution. We’re working to solve that problem (another thing we’ve been doing this week); once that’s fixed, yes, we’ll be distributing the schematics.

  • in reply to fustini

    Just read this information on the recently update "RPi Buying Guide" wiki article:

     

    http://elinux.org/RPi_Buying_Guide#Clones_.26_Copies

    Clones & Copies

     

    The foundation plans to release all the required schematics and plans to reproduce the RPi hardware, so clones and copies will be welcome.

     

    However, since the unit is built around the Broadcom SoC, the interested party will require suitable sized orders to obtain them. The foundation were fortunate enough to be supported in this aspect by Broadcom to enable the project to be feasible.

     

    So I think that once those design files are released it could be considered Open Source Hardware.  Of course, as stated, it would require the person looking to clone/modify the design to source the hard-to-get SoC on their own.

  • A very interesting post, and very refreshing too - especially after all the complaining and finger-pointing about the launch process.

     

    Although I have been following the Pi for quite some time, and have a fairly good understanding of what open source hardware/software mean, I was under the impression that the Pi IS open source hardware NOW. I even read the statement by Liz about releasing the schematics, but somehow it passed completely over my head.

     

    So the situation seems to be that the Pi is not open source hardware now, but the foundation would like to change this in the future.

     

    As pointed out by the original author, the distinction is VERY important. I understand that RMS has spent a large part of his life safeguarding the meaning (and cause) of "free software" against even minute breaches (such as, among others, "open source(but not free) software"), and we are all now reaping the benefits. Safeguarding the meaning of "open source hardware" is equally important.