Open Source Hardware Hackers Start P2P Bank

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Originally Posted by Wired.com

Getting a business loan in this economy can be more difficult than landing a reservation at French Laundry in Napa, California. Now try selling the loan officer on an open source hardware project where the blueprints will be given away.

That's why the hardware hacking community is turning inwards to fund its ideas. Two open source hardware enthusiasts, Justin Huynh and Matt Stack, have started the Open Source Hardware Bank to fund hardware projects such as the microcontroller board pictured above.

The fledgling bank is funding only open source hardware projects using capital raised from other hardware geeks. It's like a community of Facebook friends borrowing and lending among themselves — a peer-to-peer bank.

"This speaks to the rise of the do-it-yourselfer, someone who is not just a consumer but also a producer, inventor and investor," says Huynh. "But someone also ought to be thinking about the money problem when it comes to open source hardware and we are doing just that."

The open source concept has traditionally been applied to software, but open source hardware is rapidly gaining ground. A fast-growing community of inventors is publishing the specs for a wide range of hardware, from CPUs and graphic cards to MP3 players and even a laptop. The idea is to let anyone take the designs, build on them, and profit from the work of the group — while contributing enhancements back to the community at large.
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/0...ource-har.html

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Again, the resourcefulness of the open-source comunity wins through inventiveness & camaraderie. :rockon2:

I wish them the best of luck!! :)

new Moose Box Cat? just noticed your sig.

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Originally Posted by Zadock

new Moose Box Cat? just noticed your sig.

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I had to edit my sig down!! :( Darn sig size rules. Just imagine a Moose having its majestic antlers trimmed!!?? The indiginity of it!! The MooseBox will return!! You can never keep a good Moose down.....unless they are plummeting onto a Canadian's motorised chariot!! :lol:

Currently swapping over to a slightly larger XP system disc in the MooseBox UPM at the moment but nothing major.