Make Your Own Open Source Retro Arcade-Style Clock 77
ptorrone writes "Hardware hacker 'Ladyada' has released an open source, retro, arcade-style, table-tennis-for-two clock called the MONOCHRON. According to the MONCHRON project page the desire was 'to make a clock that was ultra-hackable, from adding a separate battery-backed RTC to designing the enclosure so you could program the clock once its assembled.' It includes an ATmega328 processor (with Arduino stk500 bootloader for easy hacking. It's completely open source hardware: all firmware, layout, and CAD files are yours to mess with."
Re:The Lady is cool (Score:2, Insightful)
Turning off the televisions at a sports bar? If you actively desire to piss people off, you could spit in their food without having to build anything.
Re:Question (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Open Source Hardware? I do not agree. (Score:3, Insightful)
Neat project, but I wouldn't call this project "open source hardware".
Why? "Open source hardware" means all the specs are available to be seen. How does that not describe this project?
So, how can you create open source hardware by using non-open source software?
The same way you can create open source software in an non-open source IDE like Visual Studio?
It is hard to "mess" with CAD/PCB/schematic files that cannot be edited with open source software.
Boohoo.
The phrase "open source hardware" is being slowly hijacked to mean something completely else. :-(
Since when did it mean anything other than access to the hardware schematics? You seem to be redefining the term.
You're missing the point (Score:3, Insightful)
You've bought into her "marketing disclaimer" - not the actual function. The clear air angle is nothing more than a good healthy dose of CYA. It's illegal to block cell phone transmissions. If she pitches this thing as an air ionizer - then she's golden.
She says this: "It is intended for city-dwellers who feel that their personal space is being overrun with undesired radio transmissions." That's the disclaimer. Which is patently absurd since the thing is a transmitter. I'm pretty sure she's bright enough to get this point.
She also says this: "Much like the personal air ionizers available in catalogues, this device is for cleaning up the air around the user. By pinning this device to a bag or jacket, the user can enjoy a radius of silence. The device is also small enough to tape underneath classroom and office desks, or tables in libraries and restaurants." The only thing she didn't add was "wink wink nudge nudge".
She's hoping that the reader is intelligent enough to see through her CYA disclaimer and use the device as it is intended - to keep people around you at restaurants and movies from screeching into their cellphones while you're trying to have an enjoyable evening out.