The Open Source Hardware Association is taking input on the proposal for an open hardware certification in this forum. This thread is devoted to question # 10, which reads: “Is reaching out to companies outside of the current open source hardware community a goal worth pursuing?” For other question forums, as well as a general comment forum, click [here].
10. Reaching out to companies outside of current OSH community
Yes, but this should happen after the portfolio of open projects grows to a considerable level and OSHWA certification(s) recieve some brand recognition, and thus value.
In the context of certification, no.
In the context of general awareness of open source hardware yes, but we should all as members of this community be doing this anyway.
Yes. That’s the kind of stuff OSHWA should be doing. We need some killer apps that really show off what open source hardware is capable of and get a lot of attention. We’ll be more likely to achieve that if we find partnerships with large and/or popular entities.
I’m afraid I’ve difficulty to understand well the question.
“OSH Community” is not an identified group, it is only a concept, made with a multiparty groups of people with divers interests. Then, it would be very surprising to consider being part of, or not part of, such a group which is not identifiable …
Obviously “openness certification” of an hardware creation, manufacturing and distribution, is “open” to everybody, people, organization, unformal projects or groups, etc …
So “Yes”.
Yes, if big/well-known brands/companies are recruited in to the open source community more people will make there products open source.