UNIT IV

Starting an open-source project

There are several ways in which work on an open-source project can start:

1. An individual who senses the need for a project announces the intent to develop a
project in public.
2. A developer working on a limited but working codebase, releases it to the public as
the first version of an open-source program.
3. The source code of a mature project is released to the public.
4. A well-established open-source project can be forked by an interested outside party.
Eric Raymond observed in his essay The Cathedral and the Bazaar that announcing the intent
for a project is usually inferior to releasing a working project to the public.
It's a common mistake to start a project when contributing to an existing similar project
would be more effective To start a successful project it is very important to investigate what's
already there. The process starts with a choice between the adopting of an existing project, or
the starting of a new project. If a new project is started, the process goes to the Initiation
phase. If an existing project is adopted, the process goes directly to the Execution phase
Version Number
A version number is a unique number or set of numbers assigned to a specific release of a
software program, file, firmware, device driver, or even hardware. Typically, as updates and
entirely new editions of a program or driver are released, the version number will increase.

What is the meaning of the open source hardware?

"Open hardware," or "open source hardware," refers to the design specifications of a physical
object which are licensed in such a way that said object can be studied, modified, created, and
distributed by anyone. "Open hardware" is a set of design principles and legal practices, not a
specific type of object.

What is open source designing?

Open-source design — is a design artifact (library, guide, font, code) that is published under
an open source license, and is [usually] available on GitHub in the form of source files that
can be modified freely. Examples: Google Fonts, few font foundries, Firefox Browser,
Unsplash etc.

Licenses and Copyright for Free Hardware Designs

You make a hardware design free by releasing it under a free license. We recommend using
the GNU General Public License, version 3 or later. We designed GPL version 3 with a view
to such use.
Copyleft on circuits, and on nondecorative object shapes, doesn't go as far as one might
suppose. The copyright on these designs only applies to the way the design is drawn or
written. Copyleft is a way of using copyright law, so its effect carries only as far as copyright
law carries.

For instance, a circuit, as a topology, cannot be copyrighted (and therefore cannot be

copylefted). Definitions of circuits written in HDL can be copyrighted (and therefore
copylefted), but the copyleft covers only the details of expression of the HDL code, not the
circuit topology it generates. Likewise, a drawing or layout of a circuit can be copyrighted, so
it can be copylefted, but this only covers the drawing or layout, not the circuit topology.
Anyone can legally draw the same circuit topology in a different-looking way, or write a
different HDL definition that produces the same circuit.

Copyright doesn't cover physical circuits, so when people build instances of the circuit, the
design's license will have no legal effect on what they do with the devices they have built.

For drawings of objects, and 3D printer models, copyright doesn't cover making a different
drawing of the same purely functional object shape. It also doesn't cover the functional
physical objects made from the drawing. As far as copyright is concerned, everyone is free to
make them and use them (and that's a freedom we need very much. All this may be true in
your country as well, or it may not. Before producing objects commercially or in quantity,
you should consult a local lawyer. Copyright is not the only issue you need to be concerned
with. You might be attacked using patents, most likely held by entities that had nothing to do
with making the design you're using, and there may be other legal issues as well.

What is open source in design?

Open Source Design is the development of technology and ideas without retention of
intellectual property. The goal of the movement is to allow for the continued development
and full customization of products. Typically this is done for software; however, it is
increasingly being done for hardware.

Open Design principles.

Open Design embraces X centred design. Where X = the most critical factor of the project.
This could be ‘Human-centred design’, ‘Environment centred design’ or ‘Democracy centred
design’

Open Design amplifies attitudes, methods, tools that are geared towards collaboration instead
of competition, as well as a learning-based, mentoring approach.

Open Design encourages inclusion, low participation thresholds, and peer governance (free
and communal validation of quality) thereby avoiding contributor burnout and design by
committee.
Open Design is a multidisciplinary, intersectional and inclusive space.

Open Design advocates for transparency, accountability, and flexibility.

What is open source teaching?

Open-Source Learning embraces the idea that everyone learns different things in
different ways, and it values diverse approaches to reaching those goals. Open-Source
Learning empowers teachers and students to transform their ideas and interests into powerful
learning experiences that are shared with everyone.

What is learning Object repository?

A learning object repository (LOR) is a general term for an online collection of learning
objects. A learning object is an object or collection of objects that assists in the learning
process (e.g., a topic, a module, a course, etc).

What are open source principles?

The open-source model is a decentralized software development model that encourages open
collaboration. A main principle of open-source software development is peer production,
with products such as source code, blueprints, and documentation freely available to the
public.

Rules for Open Source Media

1. Don’t violate open source licenses. If anyone tells you that open source licenses are
never enforced, or violating them never causes problems, they are wrong. Violating
open source licenses can cause legal liability and embarrassment, and slow down or
compromise investments or acquisitions for your company. Even worse, it could
make potential customers refuse to buy your products. Complying with software
licenses is simply the right thing to do. Lots of developers have gone to great effort to
make the software available to you; it’s only fair to follow their licenses.
2. Keep track of what you are using. From day one, keep track of the open source
software you are using. Someday you will have to provide a list, and having one
already in hand will save you a lot of time and effort. Most open source software
downloads have an included file called “license.txt”. Keep a copy of the license file,
 and note what software it covers, so you know what license terms you need to follow.
Most startup companies do this with a simple spreadsheet.
3. Understand Copyleft and Permissive licenses. There are two kinds of open source
licenses: copyleft and permissive. Copyleft licenses include GPL, LGPL, Eclipse
Public License, Mozilla Public License, and the Common Development and
Distribution License (CDDL). Permissive licenses include BSD, MIT, and Apache.
There are many other licenses, but almost all open source software is under Copyleft
or Permissive. Most companies — and their customers — have no legal concerns over
using software under permissive licenses. Complying with Copyleft licenses takes
more care, however, so if you want to use software under those licenses, be prepared
to do what is necessary to comply.
4. Comply with notice requirements. All open source licenses have notice
requirements. A typical notice requirement states that when you distribute open
source software, you need to include a copy of the license. This usually means the
entire license — not a link, not a short form. Notices can be challenging to maintain,
particularly for embedded software. It’s important to work out a license notice
delivery strategy that complies with most open source licenses, but doesn’t confuse or
alienate your customers.
5. Finger Pointing Doesn’t Work. If you violate an open source license, it doesn’t
matter if your supplier or contract developer was at fault. It’s still your problem. Be
sure all your suppliers and contractors follow the rules. For example, don’t buy chips
or computers with Linux if the supplier can’t also provide you the source code.