What Is Open Source Hardware
What Is Open Source Hardware
Open-source hardware (OSH) is also called open hardware. It is an open design movement that could be copyrighted or licensed but it has been made available for public use at no charges. It includes all the necessary information like documents, schematic diagrams, construction details, parts lists, and logic designs. Open-source hardware is also known as free and open-source hardware.
The term "free and open-source hardware" basic purpose is to provide information about the hardware and easily find out so that others can make it. Such like open source software, source code of open-source hardware is available for modification. The user can improve the physical hardware design after reading and manipulating the source file.
A few open-source hardware projects use existing free and open-source software licenses. These licenses of free and open-source hardware do not rely on patent law. The license of open hardware does not enforce restrictions for study the documentation, design modification, and redistribution. The open-source hardware license is free to read, modify, design, and redistribute hardware there is not restricted under license.
There are some differences between open-source software and open-source hardware. The main difference between the two is, open-source hardware is that hardware that results in tangible outputs, which cost money to prototype and manufacture. Open hardware eliminates the hurdle which lies in the design and manufacture of physical goods. It encourages people to use their knowledge to enhance hardware functions and design.
Open-source hardware is also different from closed hardware. All open-source hardware comes with documentation, including design files and source code. And license of open source hardware also allows for redistribution and modification. This freedom helps in open source hardware for troubleshooting, modifying, and improving open hardware. On the other hand, closed hardware restricts distribution and modification. They use obfuscation and patent law to make the recreation or modification of the objects as difficult as possible.
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