[hackerspaces] Apt-get for Hardware

[Eureka]

Sounds like a blast man. Let me know if you need any help/hosting/etc. 
Ill do what i can, looks like a really cool project and as an amateur 
hardware hacker it could be super useful!

-E

On 04/05/2010 01:45 PM, Nils Hitze wrote:
> I don't know if i get this, because im fucking tired right now but 
> this sounds AWESOME.
>
> It's like the Ride in MAKERs from Doctorow.
>
> I love the idea, will try to catch up on your work.
>
> Brilliant stuff, thx for sharing
>
> Nils
>
> 2010/4/5 Bryan Bishop <kanzure at gmail.com <mailto:kanzure at gmail.com>>
>
>     Hey all, [this was originally sent to the Austin Hackerspace
>     mailing list]
>
>     I am presenting at Texas Linux Fest 2010 this Saturday (April 10th) on
>     one of the projects I contribute to, dubbed SKDB. Essentially, it's
>     apt-get for hardware. Registration for the conference is $40 and it's
>     up at the Marchesa Event Center in Austin, Texas. Here's the scoop on
>     the project (but some links first!):
>
>     http://designfiles.org/dokuwiki/skdb
>     git: http://designfiles.org/skdb.git
>     irc: #hplusroadmap on irc.freenode.net <http://irc.freenode.net>
>     irc logs: http://gnusha.org/logs/ and http://gnusha.org/irclogs.txt
>
>     And in particular, the talk abstract:
>     http://texaslinuxfest.org/talks/2010/apt-get-for-hardware/
>
>     """
>     SKDB is a method for sharing hardware over the internet. By "hardware"
>     we mean not just designs for circuit boards, but also biological
>     constructs, scientific instruments, machine tools, nuts and bolts, raw
>     materials, and how to make them.
>
>     You don't need to reinvent the wheel every time you begin a new
>     project. Someone out there has probably already done most or all of
>     the work for whatever you are trying to do, and then released the
>     plans on the internet. There are many common tools and parts involved
>     in making things. If only we could just "get" everything automatically
>     from the web, DIY manufacturing would be much easier. Essentially we
>     want to do something like "apt-get" for Debian or "emerge" for Gentoo,
>     the Linux software package managers. SKDB simplifies the process of
>     searching for free designs, comparing part compatibility, and building
>     lists of materials and components and where to get them. You could
>     even say SKDB is "apt-get but for real stuff".
>
>     In SKDB, hardware is organized into packages. Packages are a standard
>     and consistent way for programs to find data. Packages may contain CAD
>     files, CAM parameters, computer-readable descriptions of product
>     specifications, product-specific code, and bill of materials. For each
>     part in a package there are a number of interface definitions, which
>     describe how the part can connect with other parts, even parts from
>     other packages. Each package also lists dependencies which have to be
>     bought or built in order to successfully carry out a project. For
>     example a drill press is required to make holes with a certain level
>     of accuracy. SKDB downloads all of the dependencies automatically and
>     compares them to your existing inventory, and generates instructions
>     for your CNC machinery if you have any.
>     """
>
>     There are some non-technical videos from a presentation I gave last
>     December located here:
>     http://gnusha.org/
>     .. Gnusha is an open source hardware co-op that I have working with.
>     The text on the page is from an update email on 2010-01-12, and more
>     recently there was a huge update in late March that I haven't sent out
>     (still editing?).
>
>     I also wanted to bring up an idea that I will be focusing on at the
>     shop w/ Les. I think the linux kernel is a good starting point for
>     running a fablab, machine shop, hackerspace, techshop, or even a lab.
>     Essentially what I would love to have is, not only apt-get for
>     hardware, but also machines hooked up to /dev on a server. So, maybe
>     the laser cutter is mounted on /dev or otherwise through cupsd with a
>     printer driver, or some hardware-over-network protocol if a machine is
>     hooked up to EMC on a dedicated box. I'd also like to build something
>     like /dev/parts for a vending machine of small parts- imagine calling
>     up `cat` on a file and pipping it to a vending machine, and out pop
>     your parts for a quickie project.
>
>     For now, part bins are more efficient, but I suspect the (vague) idea
>     is coming across. Anyway, it would be an interesting way of organizing
>     a shop. A while back I had some silly shell scripts that I wanted to
>     eventually, one day, work:
>
>     http://github.com/kanzure/shelltrance/blob/master/shelltrance.txt
>     .. but it's easy to spot how that shell script could be improved
>     significantly (like, wtf is up with the call to `mail`).
>
>     - Bryan
>     http://heybryan.org/
>     1 512 203 0507
>     _______________________________________________
>     Discuss mailing list
>     Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org <mailto:Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org>
>     http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Nils Hitze
>
> Email: nhitze at gmail.com <mailto:nhitze at gmail.com>
> Mobil: +49 179 9429701
>
> http://www.silberkind.de
> http://twitter.com/kojote
>
>
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