Every device with a computer chip should be open source

Welcome to Idealistic Fridays. Fridays seem like the most hopeful of days in general since there’s always the anticipation of the fun that’s going to come over the weekend. Of course there’s not much distinction between weekday and weekend for most solo entrepreneurs but just go with me on this on. In honor of the hope that is Friday I plan a series of posts about things that would make the works a better place in my not so humble opinion.

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Every device that has a computer chip should make their software open source.  Really nearly everything with a plug these days is run by some level of computer chip - from your TV to your dishwasher and at the more complex end things like your cell phone are essentially computers that are highly focused on a single task.

I think all of these devices should make their software open source. Yes, even your TV or toaster oven. Why? Well first of all why not?

There’s no downside to making embedded software open source. Companies will I’m sure disagree with this and say that their software provides a competitive advantage but I don’t agree. There is a point at which the device really is nothing more than an off the shelf computer and the product being sold is actually the software. A TiVo for example. I wouldn’t expect TiVo to make their software open source because in reality what they’re selling is the software. Your clock radio or refrigerator or car are a whole different story. Even given the software very few people would have the skill or desire to build the device to run it and even if they did it would almost certainly be more expensive than just buying the device in the first place.

Besides the why not there are two big reasons in my mind why this is a good idea.

Making your device’s software open source means I can eliminate those annoying little quirks about your device. Some of those quirks would even prevent me from purchasing your device or at the very least prevent me from recommending it to someone else. My alarm clock for example has the ability to play these nature sounds. I thought it’d be a nice thing to use to fall asleep to. Sony however thought it would be a nice thing to wake up to and that’s the only way you can use it. If their software was open source I could fix that.

Making your device’s software open source opens up the possibility of all new applications that you never thought of that could lead to increased sales. Sure the chances of that are remote for a dishwasher manufacturer but you never know what people can come up with. Certainly the creative potential of a whole world of people will exceed the creative potential of any one company’s creative staff. And who knows. Maybe a washing machine that can belt out MP3 tunes is just the thing that someone out there is looking for.