[eugenebrooks]

"Open source" as it is appled to computer software means that the user of the software is allowed to compile it, or a modified version, but may not provide a compiled version to others without also providing the modified source code and granting the same rights with respect to the source code. This is a powerful tool to encourage the development of shared software in the community.

For CAD drawings, the maufacture of the part is the equivalent of compiling the CAD source. Why would we be concerned about someone making the part exactly to the provided specifications, notwithstanding the rules that FIRST applied to that this past season? Teams learn when they make something, even from public CAD drawings, so the goals of FIRST are being pushed down the road. They learn something even when they assemble something. Heck, I learned something assembling IKEA tables this weekend.

In the open source world, the key item is the source. If a user of the source code modifies it and provides a binary to others, the user must also provide the modified source and grant the same freedoms. If your goal is to cause sharing of ideas through the CAD source, you can use a slightly more restrictive variation of this concept. Require that someone who compiles a modified version of the CAD files, building a modified part in the CAD context, provide the modified CAD files to the community. This would be a CAD Copyleft, so to speak. Others can then learn from and build on this modified CAD source, providing these CAD files to the community, and the bar is raised for everyone.

Eugene