Open Source Hardware Definition

Draft

This (draft) definition is the product of discussion between attendees of the Opening Hardware workshop at Eyebeam (New York City), March 17, 2010.

"Open-source hardware is that for which its designer:

• provides design files (in the preferred format for making modifications to them)
• allows the modification and redistribution of the design files
• allows the manufacture, sale, distribution, and use of devices from the design files or modifications of the design files
• without discrimination against persons, groups, or fields of endeavor. Additionally, the designer must release under an open-source license any software it has developed that is essential to the proper functioning of the device.

The designer may require others to:

• provide attribution when distributing design files based on the original designer's
• provide attribution when manufacturing devices based on the original designer's design files or derivatives thereof
• release as open-source hardware devices based on the original designer's design files or derivatives thereof

Manufacturers of a derivative device must not:

• imply that the device is manufactured, tested, warrantied, guaranteed, or otherwise sanctioned by the original designer
• make use of any trademarks owned by the original designer without explicit permission

We also recognize that open-source is only one way of sharing information about hardware and encourage and support all forms of openness and collaboration, whether or not they fit this definition." (http://freedomdefined.org/OSHW)