Thanks for the note about HW. In my field in robotics openness is not common (ROS being a major exception).
I hold a rather uncommon view that a path to a more free society requires abundance of open source tools. In the software world we are getting closer, but the whole hardware world is still one big unmoving binary blob.
I make open source robots and I’m hoping to help in that area. But we need open source machine tools, open source factories, and open manufacturing processes. There’s lots of work do be done in hardware land.
I would think 3D printing, portable CNC machines[0], and custom PCB fabrications[1] are making headway into the openness of the HW space. I think that even before the tools, or maybe alongside of, there needs to be an abundance of cheap, clean energy to power the open source tools for the real revolution in manufacturing to take off.
Yes! Home manufacturing tools are definitely headed in the right direction! My interest is in going much farther though - to the point where a community or society can survive off of a totally open source chain. To me that means the machines that make the bagels at the bagel shop are open source and the vehicles that deliver the wheat that make the bagels are open source and so is the farm equipment and the solar panel manufacturing equipment etc.
I’m happy that we’re moving to more sustainable energy but for me the revolution I’m most interested in is the one where the people control the manufacturing technology. And I hope we’re caring for the earth while we do it.
I hold a rather uncommon view that a path to a more free society requires abundance of open source tools. In the software world we are getting closer, but the whole hardware world is still one big unmoving binary blob.
I make open source robots and I’m hoping to help in that area. But we need open source machine tools, open source factories, and open manufacturing processes. There’s lots of work do be done in hardware land.