Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
with the intention of an innovation platform, but it can appear someplace else on the web.
People might also create new use-cases you never thought of before. Sometimes entire
new markets are created—just look at the example of OpenKnit growing out of RepRap in
Chapter 10
.
Keep an eye out for such developments and learn from them. You are invited
to explore these markets as well. Enable the process. One of the reasons Tesla Motors
opened its patents in 2014 was to provide the possibility for others to work on spreading
electromobility and innovating to bring it to places where Tesla would not be able to go as
quickly. The benefit to Tesla is a larger electromobility market.
Better Products
There are a lot of reasons why open products can be better than closed ones. There is the
chance that the pressure to become open will grow in some markets. This subsection high-
lights some reasons why an open product can be a better choice for the customer.
An open product can provide more possibilities to interact with it—that is, more ways
to use it or adapt it. An open product is easier to hack. MacGyverize the world! This as-
pect of the product can be very interesting for customers. Make your product easy to hack
and rearrange. This will also allow third parties to develop more features, invent and
provide add-ons, or create new use-cases and connect the product to other items through
the internet of things. The value for the consumer of the product rises with this extension
of the product's capabilities. You provide freedom for people to control their technology
and shape their lives as they wish instead of being controlled by their technology.
“What is the most helpful aspect of open source hardware at your company?
In-
creased customer knowledge. By giving users access to design files, they can better
understand and use our products. In the case of open sourcing the Propeller mi-
crocontroller, we expect it to allow customers to get closer to the architecture and
truly understand its inner workings.” (Parallax)
Openness can make it easier to repair things or reuse or repurpose individual parts.
This makes products a longer-lasting and better investment for the consumer. For many
companies, open source solutions are the better choice to buy for their infrastructure be-
cause open source gives them independence from certain producers, suppliers, or support-
contractors and freedom to develop their business as they wish. All of these considera-
tions lead to a more efficient use of resources.
