It’s easy to argue that the open-source movement’s progress to the hardware world was inevitable. This aspect of sharing is the chief activity of a company recently featured by Wired Magazine. Arduino seeks to exist by developing and testing specific hardware components—and releasing the results for the entire world to download and copy.

Of course, like any sensible business, profit is still a part of the Italian company’s objectives. Apparently, despite releasing the specs of their creations, Arduino can stand out on the strength of its “Italian manufacturing quality”, compared to copycats that “were poor quality, rife with soldering errors and flimsy pin connections.” After all, these guys are leading, and other are just following. In most cases this leads to a market advantage that leads to increased sales.

This reality has proven beneficial for Arduino, but is it too much to assume that the copycats will eventually perfect their craft, add their own modifications, and leave the originators in the dust? What if some “Asian” company manages to perfect a marketing approach that brainwashes western customers into forgetting a product’s eastern origins (e.g. Apple)?

And, Arduino’s founders could do with a shave or two. (Photo by James Day)

Post from: The Gadget Blog