[OH Updates] Degrees of open-ness in EDA (and CAD in general)

[Dave Jones]

On Sat, Sep 3, 2011 at 10:33 AM, Andrew Stone <g.andrew.stone at gmail.com> wrote:
> Yes, the question is how to make a business out of it.  Often a workable
> business model not bad for a FOSS product as it allows people to start
> spending 100% time on it, pushing the FOSS tool forward.
>
> In that theme what would you guys think of a license along the lines of:
>
>  This EDA product is EXACTLY the same as the commercial version but if you
> get the free version you agree that EVERYTHING you do in it shall be
> licensed both FOSS and under our commercial license.  In fact what you do
> will automatically be uploaded into our database (either anonymously or
> credited to you, your choice) to produce a part library for everyone to
> use.  This "automatic upload" requirement disappears if the company ever
> goes out of business, and the EDA shall remain FOSS.  That is, you have a
> choice.  If you contribute $ then you can do proprietary designs.  If you
> don't then we ask you to contribute by submitting your designs.
>
> Cheers!
> Andrew

I like the idea.
It's probably sacrilegious to the FOSS advocates though?

I don't know about the auto upload thing etc
But a simple disclaimer that says that if you produce propriety
commercial designs with it then you are REQUIRED to contribute
financially toward toward the project - under penalty of bad karma and
public outing on a "web page of shame".

And if you use it and make serious money from your OSHW designs, then
it is SUGGESTED that you contribute financially toward the project.
But no bad karma if you don't.

Fixed amounts, say $250 and $100 respectively?


David L. Jones
www.eevblog.com
The Electronics Engineering Video Blog