Open Hardware License

[Bdale Garbee]

While Software in the Public Interest was founded to foster the
development of both open hardware and open software, most of our recent
activity has been related to software.  Open hardware development
projects exist, however, and the non-profit organization TAPR is now
working on a pair of new licenses intended to foster collaborative
hardware development.

John Ackermann, N8UR, is the author of these new licenses.  I've known
John for years and have worked on various projects with him.  He asked
me to review early drafts, and has done a great job of integrating the
feedback that I and his other early reviewers provided.

I invite SPI's members to review these new licenses, and offer feedback
during a public comment period that continues until March 7th, 2007.  I
hope those members of SPI whose interests include hardware development,
and/or the nuances of license texts, will take time to review these new
licenses and provide feedback during the public comment period.  See
http://www.tapr.org/OHL for details.

Of these two new license, the TAPR Open Hardware License is the one that
should be of greatest interest to SPI members.  Pending the results of
the comment period, I believe this is a license that SPI should endorse
in some way once it is released.  The alternative TAPR Noncommercial
Hardware License is identical to the OHL but limits Products to
noncommercial use only.

Bdale