i have a hardware device I developed and made an SDK for it. I'd now like to get open source developers involved, to help with application development so we can together explore the possibilities of this new device. What would be the best way to do this?
A:
Giving a useful answer to this depends on what your hardware does. If you won't come right out and tell us directly here on StackOverflow, that might be a sign that you'll be facing a culture clash with open source developers!
In any case, it helps if your hardware is at least somewhat open. If you show people photos of interesting teardowns or explain how it works, that can get you free publicity (if picked up by the likes of Slashdot).
Also: it's an Internet-video era, and showing a cool YouTube demo can go a lot further to inspire than pages of API docs.
Hostile Fork
2010-06-12 15:22:21
thanks for the reply. i understand what you're saying about a culture clash but at this point there are other forces because of which i can't disclose what the device is yet :-(the hardware schematic/pcb/firmware is closed, but the SDK that lets you talk to it is open source. the SDK has a static lib and header, and some docs, and a demo app. what would be an attractive offer to developers?
b20000
2010-06-12 16:33:25
Do be especially careful about culture clashes of this type. Note for instance what happened to Xara when they wouldn't release source for one piece of their project, yet expected people to do the Linux port for them...no deal: http://www.linux.com/archive/feed/119790
Hostile Fork
2010-06-12 16:47:00