I will immediately start by saying that I have shamelessly stolen the idea for this blog. Massimo Banzi is one of the original creators of the Open-Source hardware platform, called the Arduino. It allows an inventor to program the microcontroller to control whatever mechanical system in whatever fashion they want. Imagine budding tinkerers building their own stop-lights, or fashioning their own motor-control systems !
In his Ted Talk (found here: How Arduino is Open Sourcing Imagination ), Massimo discusses how the Arduino gives inventors and tinkerers alike the ability to build with their imagination, pretty much free from the constraints of having to know very much about the hardware. Whether its the Arduino or one of the other new platforms, inventors and imaginers are free to explore the creative side, without getting too bogged down in the nuts & bolts of the hardware.
I'm going to make a leap here, so follow along... Another one of my Blogs describes my IT Service Management project, and briefly describes the use of the ITIL Framework. The purpose of the ITIL Framework, and more importantly the ITIL Dictionary, is to provide a common language for IT people to discuss the work that they do, and the services they provide.
Here's the leap: Arduino provides a common platform for tinkerers, inventors and imaginers to develop & share their ideas. Be they heliostats or stop lights. Just like the Global Village Construction Set describes plans for building the 50 commonly-used tools for building a society, Arduino provides a common platform for building the tools that society needs to control things.
Are you seeing the theme ? Open Source projects are providing the "Common Platform" required to get big, important things done. Like controlling mechanical devices, or building a society, or defining how we look at computer systems. This is why Open Source is so important.
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