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I keep reading how Arduinos are "open source", but my understanding of OSH is that all its components must be open source.

Arduino uses an Atmel 8-bit CPU - but Googling this shows the Atmel is proprietary!?

So I ask: how can Arduino be OSH if it's chief component - its Atmel CPU - is proprietary?!?

Zac
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  • I don't think a discussion of the nuances of the term OSH really belongs here; Maybe on the arduino forum? – BrettFolkins Jan 21 '15 at 21:32
  • Thanks @BrettM (I'd upvote your comment if I had the rep to do so) - sorry, I thought this was an Arduino "forum" (well, Q+A site). Also, I'm not really asking about the nuances of OSH, I am straight-up accusing Arduino of advertising as something that it's not! If I say, "I am selling a car, and the price is $10." And then you get to the lot, and the car is actually $10,000, that's false advertising. – Zac Jan 21 '15 at 21:36
  • Either way this site is not really for open ended discussion questions. The Arduino forum would be better for this kind of question. – sachleen Jan 22 '15 at 17:15

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I just scanned over the TAPR and CERN open hardware licenses and I didn't see such a provision. My quick take on OHLs is that they are specifications for building the hardware - and therefore, information - not the hardware itself. And it only makes sense when we consider the incredibly expensive and complicated (from an experimenter's point of view) infrastructure that is a chip foundry necessary to create the kinds of hardware we take for granted and have reduced to commodity parts, CPUs, & MCUs being a prime example.

Thus "Arduino" is an open source specification for building microcontroller boards or board-sets based on ATMEL MCU chips, as well as the products of the Italian company SmartProjects. That is why there are so-called Arduino clones, otherwise, why wouldn't any clone of an Arduino be an Arduino?

JRobert
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  • Thanks @JRobert (I'd upvote you if I had the rep to do so). However I'mnot quite following you: are you saying that the Arduino designs are actually what is open source, and that in reality, whatever company makes Arduinos uses licensed/proprietary hardware to implement these designs? Thanks again! – Zac Jan 21 '15 at 21:58
  • My read of the licenses is that the physical device - an Arduino or compatible, in this case - is built of many components, some (many?) of which are proprietary but that he designs and specs for building it are open. – JRobert Jan 22 '15 at 02:34