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USB Implementers Forum Won't Play Nice With Open Hardware

Posted by timothy on from the keeping-the-universal-out-of-universal dept.

DeathToBill writes "Hack A Day reports on the attempts of open hardware hackers to obtain a vendor and product ID for their devices to be able to sell them as USB compliant: 'A not for profit foundation [in this case Arachnid Labs] could buy a VID, give PIDs away to foundation members making open source hardware, and we would all live in a magical world of homebrew devices that are certified as USB compliant.' The USB Implementers Forum, which controls the sale of PIDs, has lawyered up, responding to the effort with a cease and desist notice, requiring Arachnid Labs to stop 'raising funds to purchase a unique USB VID' and 'delete all references to the USB-IF, VIDs and PIDs for transfer, resale or sublicense from your website and other marketing materials.' A slight over-reaction? Or dark conspiracy against open hardware? You decide!"

5 of 273 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Pardon my ignorance but... by Amouth · · Score: 4, Funny

    your USB port is certified as not unleashing terrifying cyber-demons to everything that connects to it.

    But what if that is it's advertized and intended purpose? IS there something saying i can't sell a device that unleashes terrifying cyber-demons?

    I see this as just plain discrimination. Won't someone think of all the cyber-demons sitting around looking for work? Please people let them work, in turn they will create more work for SysAdmins and therefor will be a job creator, please people think of the jobs!

    --
    '...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
  2. Re:Pardon my ignorance but... by VortexCortex · · Score: 5, Funny

    History is littered with "technically superior" crap that nobody adopted.

    Mfh... n-- You take that back! My Dreamcast is Not CRAP! I'll show you crap!
    ...

    Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to change my HDDVDBVDs.

  3. Re:Pardon my ignorance but... by Minwee · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do you know what de facto means?

    Well, I know what everybody says it means, but not necessarily what the rules say it's supposed to mean.

  4. Re:Pardon my ignorance but... by omnichad · · Score: 4, Funny

    Woosh, sir. Woosh.

  5. Re:CAN THE VHS/BETA MYTH FUCKING DIE NOW by sandoval88419 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Stop repeating this total bullshit fanboy crap.

    Yeah I agree with you, it's time VHS/Betamax fanboys stop this nonsense.

    It's 21th century now, there are more important wars to be discussed, ex. : Emacs vs. Vim :-)