Open Source Hardware Alchemy

Open source technology plays a key role in the future of hardware and society. What are the benefits and concerns of OS licensing for new creators and established companies? How does it affect adoption and community-building? How do companies address concerns including copycats, pricing, and security? And what options lie between fully-closed and fully-open?

Whether you’re a hardware beginner or masterminding a company, there are plenty of ways to engage with the open source electronics community. We define the seven types of Hackster.io members – Magician, Polymath, Astronomer, and others – and how they use the platform to stretch their wings.