Programmable Blinky Lights, DIY Desktop Fab and 3D Printing, Arduino Boards
Projects on the Move: MiniPOV, Contraptor, Arduino
Free/Open Source isn’t just about software, it’s also about hardware. Open hardware projects are proliferating, and just like open source software, you can get started inexpensively. Here are three projects that are fun, useful, and suitable for beginners to embedded programming, robotics, and building electronic devices.
The speed bump for Free/Open Source has always been hardware. Open, freely shareable code and a free open Internet are two of three essential components of the FOSS world. The third is open hardware, because, obviously, all that great software needs hardware. To me, it is silly to encumber any hardware with secret specifications, closed proprietary firmware, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), or any kind of “intellectual property” nonsense. Hobbyists, hackers, and do-it-yourselfers are drivers of innovation and improvements, although in this new era of “the customer is the criminal,” that message is often lost. Happily, open hardware has seen a small explosion in growth. “Open” covers a lot of ground: licenses, specifications, hardware description language (HDL) code, schematics, and more. Please see the good Wikipedia article “Open-source hardware” for more information on the details of what open hardware means.
Everything seems to be controlled by microchips these days, and microchips need to be programmed. These three projects introduce the fundamental concepts and skills of embedded programming and robotics while being fun and inexpensive.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
News
-
Titan Linux is a New KDE Linux Based on Debian Stable
Titan Linux is a new Debian-based Linux distribution that features the KDE Plasma desktop with a focus on usability and performance.
-
Danielle Foré Has an Update for elementary OS 7
Now that Ubuntu 22.04 has been released, the team behind elementary OS is preparing for the upcoming 7.0 release.
-
Linux New Media Launches Open Source JobHub
New job website focuses on connecting technical and non-technical professionals with organizations in open source.
-
Ubuntu Cinnamon 22.04 Now Available
Ubuntu Cinnamon 22.04 has been released with all the additions from upstream as well as other features and improvements.
-
Pop!_OS 22.04 Has Officially Been Released
From the makers of some of the finest Linux-powered desktop and laptop computers on the market comes the latest version of their Ubuntu-based distribution, Pop!_OS 22.04.
-
Star Labs Unveils a New Small Format Linux PC
The Byte Mk I is an AMD-powered mini Linux PC with Coreboot support and plenty of power.
-
MX Linux Verison 21.1 “Wildflower” Now Available
The latest release of the systemd-less MX Linux is now ready for public consumption.
-
Microsoft Expands Their Windows Subsystem for Linux Offerings With AlmaLinux
Anyone who works with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) will now find a new addition to the available distributions, one that’s become the front-runner replacement for CentOS.
-
Debian 11.3 Released wIth Numerous Bug and Security Fixes
The latest point release for Debian Bullseye is now available with some very important updates.
-
The First Alpha of Asahi Linux is Available
Asahi Linux is the first distribution to fully support Apple Silicon and is now available for testing.