Eagle PCB files for OpenScope MZ

[Joor]

Are there any Eagle files for OpenScope MZ?

[Kristoff]

Hey Joor,

We posted the schematics as PDFs here, but we have not published eagle files.

-Kristoff

[Joor]

Hi Kristoff, have you considered releasing the Eagle files to the community as well? Possibly there are restrictions with Eagle IP that prevents you from doing that?

I am planning on doing some changes/improvements to OpenScope MZ in the near future, and in the true spirit of open source I am going to contribute these back to the community.

I am planning on using KiCad, however, if your Eagle files were open source I could consider extending on them instead.

[Bob Ham]

See:

@Kristoff Could you possibly explain why the release of the design files is dependent on the percentage of people who would find them the most useful?  Looking at your response to my comment, it doesn't really make sense.  Why would you *not* release the design files?

 

 

 

[Kristoff]

Hey Joor and Bob,

At the end of the day we want OpenScope MZ to be a great tool for teaching and learning.  We felt that posting the schematics, communication protocol, firmware source code and app software source code provided the vast majority of the benefit of being open to our customers.  Posting gerbers or design files seemed like it would not be very useful to most OpenScope MZ users and slightly increases the risk of straight up clones that add no value on top of the original design.

We have the 'what is open source' discussion regularly at Digilent and I welcome any feedback you all have on this topic. 

-Kristoff

 

[Joor]

Hi Kristoff, I appreciate all the resources that you have already contributed to the community.

One disadvantage with not sharing the design files could be that you may loose creative control of OpenScope in the case that someone else made a hard fork of it (reimplemented the design files in e.g. KiCad) and made that fork more open source than yours.

[Bob Ham]

On 19/09/2017 at 0:04 PM, Kristoff said:

increases the risk of straight up clones

What is put at risk by straight up clones?

[Kristoff]

Hey Bob,

We (Digilent) have invested a lot of time and money into OpenScope MZ and WaveForms live.  A company that creates and sells a clone hurts our ability to recoup the cost we've invested.  Most companies and consumers understand that this is not the spirit of open source, but it's not always obvious when you're purchasing a clone and a lower price appeals to almost everyone.  We want to make sure we can recoup our investment and continue to develop open source hardware and software.

-Kristoff

[NolanM]

Hey Kristoff,

I'm an electrical engineer and i enjoy engineering PCBs as a hobby on the weekend.  Does Digilent have a program where design files could be released to engineers (like me) who have interests in making changes without interests in manufacturing?  Maybe a "close source" as opposed to "closed source" approach?  Such a program might even have a rewards system.  Where the contributing engineers could get free Digilent stuff (i love toys) in exchange for accepted (not necessarily adopted) design changes.

Nolan

[JColvin]

Hi @NolanM,

Currently we do not have such a program, but I will let the appropriate personnel know that we have some community members that would be interested in something like this.

Thanks,
JColvin

[chris2]

I see that Digilent pulled OpenScope.  What are your plans now, will you release it through a new brand? 
Perhaps open up the design files otherwise and give the project a new life?

thanks, Chris

[JColvin]

Hi @chris2,

Unfortunately, there are currently not any plans for releasing the design files for the OpenScope.

Thank you,
JColvin