Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
networked our world becomes (think about the internet of things), the more serious these
issues will be. Having the design files of things open for inspection will be key for sus-
taining our personal freedom and democracy. The more time that goes by, the larger the
number of people who understand this point and will be guided by it—especially while
making purchasing decisions.
“[A]nd because everything we do today involves the Internet and everything we do
tomorrow will require the Internet, that means that copyright policy becomes the
organizing principle for everything we do in the world. And that's silly!
“There is no way to fight oppression without free devices and free networks.”
(Cory Doctorow [author], in his talk “It's Not a Fax Machine Connect to a Waffle
Iron” at re:publica Berlin 2013)
Lower Costs for Support and Marketing
Ifyouhaveanactivecommunityandaplacewherecommunitymemberscandiscussthings
and exchange knowledge online, their interaction can make a lot of support work obsolete.
People can share questions and help each other in forums and other venues. Nevertheless,
support does not necessarily have to come only from the online community. If your product
is open, it is easier for third parties to offer support, compete in the marketplace, and make
support faster, more accessible and cheaper for the consumers, thereby increasing the value
of your product.
“What is the most helpful aspect of open source hardware at your company?
'Free
PR from those same engineers who tell lots of others about my products. Free PR
from people who make my products from my well documented online plans.'”
(Cornfield Electronics, profitable, revenue of $178,500 in 2013)
An active community with volunteers and stakeholders means a customer base interes-
ted in the success of your product. They will do some marketing for free. They will talk
about your product, share it online and offline, and get something viral going. People are
searching the web for good resources. Putting your design files online can attract even
more attention than purchasing ads could.
“Being open is the most effective form of marketing, so publish early and often.”
(Open Source Ecology, nonprofit, revenue of $300,000 from grants in 2013)
Publishing early and often is a development approach that can help reduce marketing
costs and allow you to spend less time on marketing in general. Having open design files
and an open development process means that people will already know about your
