---

Open hardware helps businesses make products for cheap

Knowledge is power, resources are communal, and the ecosystem stays in harmony through a modest yet well-policed set of rules and best practices (which can be found here, if you’re interested).

Some might argue that this DIY culture originated???or at least came to a well-publicized head???back in the mid-???70s with the Homebrew Computer Club, a group of Silicon Valley hobbyists who jumpstarted the PC. So why, nearly 40 years later, has the simple concept of sharing ideas become such a pivotal practice for the small businesses of today?

Get the Free Newsletter!

Subscribe to Developer Insider for top news, trends, & analysis