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On this topic is it possible to show the source code of your product but retain the copyright on it? Like some of the electronics my grandmother had came with a

On this topic is it possible to show the source code of your product but retain the copyright on it? Like some of the electronics my grandmother had came with a manual that had their full schematic in them. I want to make products that come with the schematic and source code but retain my copyright. I want to build products that empower you to fix it if it breaks and make it last a long time. Is that possible?

vagrantJin 6y ago
That line of thinking died a ling time ago. Take a toaster. I dont think you should need to buy 2 toasters in a lifetime and yet Im over the 10 mark. A simple machine to heat bread with a timer and spring mechanism. How hard can it be to fix...we've all probably thought to ourselves.
- worldmerge 6y ago
  >That line of thinking died a ling time ago. Hopefully companies go back to it. Hopefully I can have a positive impact and maybe that will cause others to try it.
- conk 6y ago
  A toaster is a simple device but the physics involved in the safe operation is not trivial. You’re dealing with resistive heating elements that get incredibly hot and exposed conductive wires with lethal voltages present. The liability and risk around repair is so high that I’m not surprised there’s no support for field service of it. I have 2 toasters at my house, one pulls 600W while on, the other 1400W. Both toast 2 slices of bread and are otherwise the same. If someone accidentally installed the 1400W elements in the 600W toaster something would melt and possibly start a fire. I’m all for promoting the repair of consumer devices but toasters are one device that I don’t think the general public has the knowledge and skill to repair safely.
- eeZah7Ux 6y ago
  > That line of thinking died a ling time ago That line of thinking has been removed from global consciousnesses because it was less profitable.
l3s2d 6y ago
Yes, I believe there are several flavors of source-available license that attempt to meet this requirement. Code released under such a license would not qualify as open source, but it could allow for individuals to maintain the software themselves. A license like the BSL could even be structured to transition the code to open source after some amount of time.

vagrantJin 6y ago

That line of thinking died a ling time ago. Take a toaster. I dont think you should need to buy 2 toasters in a lifetime and yet Im over the 10 mark. A simple machine to heat bread with a timer and spring mechanism. How hard can it be to fix...we've all probably thought to ourselves.

worldmerge 6y ago
>That line of thinking died a ling time ago. Hopefully companies go back to it. Hopefully I can have a positive impact and maybe that will cause others to try it.
conk 6y ago
A toaster is a simple device but the physics involved in the safe operation is not trivial. You’re dealing with resistive heating elements that get incredibly hot and exposed conductive wires with lethal voltages present. The liability and risk around repair is so high that I’m not surprised there’s no support for field service of it. I have 2 toasters at my house, one pulls 600W while on, the other 1400W. Both toast 2 slices of bread and are otherwise the same. If someone accidentally installed the 1400W elements in the 600W toaster something would melt and possibly start a fire. I’m all for promoting the repair of consumer devices but toasters are one device that I don’t think the general public has the knowledge and skill to repair safely.
eeZah7Ux 6y ago
> That line of thinking died a ling time ago That line of thinking has been removed from global consciousnesses because it was less profitable.

l3s2d 6y ago

Yes, I believe there are several flavors of source-available license that attempt to meet this requirement. Code released under such a license would not qualify as open source, but it could allow for individuals to maintain the software themselves. A license like the BSL could even be structured to transition the code to open source after some amount of time.