An open-hardware module publishes its design files under CC-BY-SA so builders can make, modify, and share it

An open-hardware synth module releases its physical design files — schematics, PCB Gerbers, and bill of materials — under an open licence. The Turing Machine is published under CC-BY-SA: anyone may order boards, build from the files, and modify the design, provided they attribute the original and release derivatives under the same share-alike licence. This is the hardware analogue of copyleft software licensing and is why the module has many third-party clones and software emulations. Open hardware differs from a permissive licence like CC-BY in that the share-alike clause forces derivative designs to stay open too.

Examples

Download the Turing Machine schematic and Gerbers, order bare PCBs from a fab house, source parts from the BOM, and solder the module. Or fork the design, add a control, and publish your modified files under CC-BY-SA.

Assessment

What does the share-alike clause of CC-BY-SA require when you publish a modified open-hardware design? How does that differ from a permissive CC-BY licence?