Open Hardware Repository - Introduction

The Open Hardware Repository ohwr.org is a place on the web for electronics designers to collaborate on open hardware designs, much in the philosophy of the free software movement.

The Manifesto on the ohr-support project wiki page explains the numerous advantages to working in a completely open environment, while on these same ohr-support wiki pages you can find how you can set up your own project. Note that all information on this site is accessible to anyone; you will not be able to access more material by registering.

The CERN Open Hardware Licence (CERN OHL) governs the use, copying, modification and distribution of hardware design documentation, and the manufacture and distribution of products. Other open licence types may be used for projects on the OHR site.

Open Hardware can be commercial

What CERN writes about OHR

• CERN Courier: Hardware joins the open movement (June 2011)
• CERN Bulletin: Open hardware for open science (July 2011)
• CERN Press Release: CERN launches Open Hardware initiative (July 2011)
• CERN Annual Report 2011: Message from the President of Council (page 4) Making an impact (page 32)

What others write about OHR

• Milkymist: [Milkymist-devel] OHWR - Open Hardware @ CERN (Feb 2011)
• The first CERN Press Release CERN launches Open Hardware initiative in July 2011 gave a large impact. We stopped tracking since this press coverage.

Companies using the OHR site

In April 2012 thirteen companies from nine countries are actively using the OHR site to develop or produce open hardware, software and drivers. These companies may be paid for the open developments.

• Companies using the OHR site

Licences used for CERN Open Hardware designs

CERN uses the following licences for most Open Hardware designs:

Hardware

• CERN Open Hardware Licence - CERN OHL

Software and firmware

• GNU General Public License - GNU GPL for Software (Python, C, ...)
  • Example of use in the OHR project PTS, Production Test Suite
    • LICENCE
    • pts main program
• GNU Lesser General Public License - GNU LGPL for firmware (VHDL, Verilog, ...)
  • Example of use in an OHR project

Open Hardware Repository

• OHR Home page
• OHR Getting Started

See also

Open Hardware Workshop

• Open Hardware Workshop, October 2011.

Articles about Open Hardware

• Open Source Hardware (OSHW) Statement of Principles and Definition v1.0
  • Note that the CERN OHL is compliant with the OSHW definition criteria.
• Manuel Castells on Open Source.
• Open source business models in the P2P Foundation website.
• Tux Brain, a Spanish Open HW distributor. Site in Spanish.

Other Open Hardware sites

• Instructables: Make, how-to and DIY.
• Open Hardware Hub, a place to post and contribute to open source hardware projects.
• Qi, promoters of Copyleft Hardware.
• Solderpad, a place to share, discover and collaborate on electronic projects.
• Thingiverse, a Universe of Things.

18 July 2012