A little bit of everything about the other side of the Linux universe: Free Hardware and Open Hardware

Since a few years ago (2012), Every April 20th, in many places around the world, they celebrate the Hardware Freedom Day Hardware Freedom Day (HFD) is a global celebration dedicated to the existence and promotion of Free and Open Source Hardware (FOSH), and is organized by the Digital Freedom Foundation (DFF). In its honor, 2024 We dedicated a timely publication to it.Since, as the Linuxverse Blog, we know that this technological field is not exclusively restricted to the world of software. That is to say, we know that "Free Hardware and Open Hardware" is a consolidated and fully developing reality, and a fundamental part of all the free and open technologies that make up the Linuxverse.

And while it's true that, as a Linuxverse Blog, we focus daily on exploring free and open-source software development, today we'll take this opportunity (post) to support, promote, and spread the word a bit more about this other side of the Linuxverse. However, whether you're a passionate Linuxverse enthusiast or a seasoned professional who enjoys "tinkering" with this type of hardware (free and open source) For your own professional projects or educational projects for third parties, we invite you to learn more about and visit our sister blog specializing in this field, called: Free Hardware.

But, before starting this useful publication about this fabulous and interesting IT field and another side of the Linuxverse, that is, about "Free Hardware and Open Hardware"We recommend you explore our previous related post Regarding Hardware Freedom Day, after reading this:

Hardware Freedom Day is a global celebration of free and open-source hardware (FOSH). Its mission is to inform the public worldwide about the benefits of using high-quality FOSH in education, government, homes, and businesses—essentially, for every imaginable application.

The third Saturday in April is Free Hardware Day

Today is Hardware Freedom Day

Free and Open Hardware: Come and learn more about it!

About Free Hardware and Open Hardware

Definition

In very general terms, and to begin with, it is worth noting that unlike Free Software and Open Source Softwarewhich essentially share many of their basic principles, but are clearly different from each other. Whereas, The concepts of Free Hardware and Open Source Hardware (or open source hardware) often mean the same thingThat is, both are usually used to refer to or describe the same thing. This is why we will almost always see and read the term: Free Hardware.

Therefore, today we will mention and focus on the following definition of the term Open Hardware (or open source hardware):

Open Source Hardware (OSHW) is hardware whose design is made publicly available so that anyone can study, modify, distribute, build, and sell it, both the original design and other objects based on it. The hardware source code (understood as the source files) must be available in a format suitable for modification. Ideally, open source hardware uses readily available components and materials, standardized processes, open infrastructure, unrestricted content, and open source tools to maximize individuals' ability to build and use the hardware. Open source hardware provides the freedom to control the technology while simultaneously sharing knowledge and stimulating commercialization through the open exchange of designs. Definition originating from the OSHWA

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

Increased innovation and creation of new productsSince successive improvements can be made without the need to completely replace the product, by reusing components and making adaptations to other designs, or radically changing a product thanks to being able to start from a solid and successful existing knowledge.
Increased usage time and product lifespanSince there would be more products free of the restrictions or limitations imposed by manufacturers that only seek to maximize profits. That is, fewer products with planned obsolescence and limited by exorbitant mandatory payments.

Disadvantages

The need for users with initial technical knowledge a little more expensive and with a relatively higher initial cost, which puts it within reach of very few.
The lack of specialized and trained technical personnel and a lower availability of components, both when creating and repairing.

Known open hardware projects

3 Important online sources of information on the topic

The OpenHW Foundation

The OpenHW Foundation is an organization that brings together a large community of hardware and software designers to create open-source processor core designs, as well as related intellectual property, tools, and software, for both commercial and academic use. These collaborative designs are adopted and customized by industry leaders to produce cores for a wide range of applications, from small embedded devices like mobile phones to advanced, high-performance computing systems. For this reason, it is considered one of the leading global organizations (community) for the development and innovation of open-source, industrial-grade RISC-V CPUs. Explore their website

The Open Source Hardware Association

The Open Source Hardware Association (Open Source Hardware Association, or OSHWA, in English) Its aim is to foster technological knowledge and encourage research that is accessible, collaborative, and respects user freedom. Its main activities include holding the annual Open Hardware Summit and maintaining the Open Source Hardware certification, which allows the community to quickly identify and represent hardware that meets the community definition of open source hardware. In addition, its purposes and activities include the following: Organizing conferences and community events; Educating the general public about open source hardware and its socially beneficial uses; Organize the open source hardware movement around shared values and principles; Collect, compile, and publish data on the Open Source Hardware movement; and offer creators a simple way to indicate that their products meet an open source compliance standard. Explore their website

The Alliance for the Internet of Production

The Internet of Production Alliance (IPA) Its aim is to offer a A global alliance of individuals and organizations that believe in a future of production defined by decentralized manufacturing and shared knowledge. Consequently, they aim to be a foundation for enabling this future—a world where people can rapidly create and manufacture products made from a combination of locally sourced materials and global designs, allowing local maker networks to connect and compete against mass-produced imports and globalized supply chains. For this reason, the groups currently represented in this community cover hardware design, design-sharing platforms, manufacturers and manufacturing associations, manufacturers and fabrication lab communities, assistive technology, disaster relief, international development, and open science hardware. Explore their website

7 other relevant sources of information

Free Hardware: This is a website dedicated to disseminating projects and relevant information within the Maker world, DIY, and Open Hardware and Open Source.
MechanicsEverything we design is open source and freely accessible online to anyone. We create open source machines to empower makers and entrepreneurs with innovative ideas. We want new technologies to be understandable and usable by as many people as possible.
Open Hardware InitiativeIt is a website that promotes a student-led initiative at the forefront of hardware innovation, uniting academic research with practical applications in chip design, electronics, and AI acceleration.
Open Hardware Repository: EIt is a website created in 2009 to provide electronic designers from experimental physics centers with a space to collaborate on Open Source Hardware (OSHW) designs, in line with the philosophy of the free software movement.
OpenHardwareIt is an online project whose objective is to preserve and grow an online platform suitable for enthusiasts who create, share and support countless amazing open hardware projects, which are being created by a huge global community.
The Open Source Hardware and Design Alliance: EIt's an initiative whose goal is to foster the sustainable sharing of open hardware and design. And one of its first objectives is to create a service for sharing open hardware designs that includes a certification model and a registry.

Examples of well-known Open Hardware Licenses

TAPR's Open Hardware License (OHL)The TAPR (a non-profit organization of amateur radio operators) Open Hardware License is a contribution to the Open Hardware developer community. Anyone can use the TAPR OHL as a license for their hardware project, provided it is used in its unaltered form.
CERN's Open Hardware License (OHL)The CERN Open Hardware License (CERN OHL) is a legal tool to promote collaboration among hardware designers and support the freedom to use, study, modify, share, and distribute hardware designs and products based on them. It is released periodically through new versions and variants to address new issues or concerns, but is considered to maintain the same core principles as previous versions.

Just as in the political, religious, cultural, sexual, and other spheres, technology is not immune to the strong subjective and personal foundations of its creators, users, and members. And for this very reason, we often see many different sides, both for and against many free and open technologies.

Free and open technologies: Are some useless and unnecessary?

Summary

In short, the scope of "Free Hardware and Open Hardware" It is an essential element to preserve, promote and expand, since, in essence, It eliminates the usual obstacles to the design and manufacture of important physical goods (both computerized and non-computerized) for humanity. This is because its philosophy offers the greatest possible number of people the opportunity to build, remix, and share their knowledge about the design and operation of various types of hardware. And also, if you know of, use, or have any project or website related to this topic explored here todayIf you have anything that truly adds value to what has already been discussed, we invite you to mention it via comments for the knowledge and enjoyment of our entire loyal and growing community of readers and users of the Linuxverse.

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