Posted 10/23/08 at 11:00:00 AM by David Murphy

Everyone's heard of Linux, right?  We wouldn't be wrong in suggesting that Linux is the most well-known representation of the open-source platform. Or, at least, we're willing to bet that it's going to be on the tip of your friend's tongue the next time you sit down at bar, order up a drink, and ask, "What's an example of Open Source?"

But we think you'd spit out your drink if your friend answered "Chumby," or "RepRap."  You might even try calling out your buddy because you think he's just feeding you jibber-jabber to sound smart. Well, you'd be wrong to do so. These are indeed open-source creations, but you aren't going to find these projects no matter how much you scour SourceForge.  That's because they're examples of open-source hardware, not software.  That's right.  The concept of throwing back the curtain and revealing all the working pieces of a particular item for you to modify at your leisure isn't an act that's constrained to bits and bytes.  

Click the jump, and we'll show you the Open Source hardware projects you can make right now!

Read More