Have your say and share your ideas. Join us on the road to simplicity.
Latest discussions | Popular discussions | Conclusions
This section is where you'll find completed discussions. You can still browse the whole discussion and read the conclusions, however these are now closed.
Open source product design
"With the growing advent of open source programming, it seems as if we are moving toward software products created for the people and by the people. Could this same system be used to create new and innovative products for the home?"
Although open source product design may be a great way to develop ideas, it can often lead to increased complexity. Groups often create complexity as a result of having too many opinions. A product cannot be all things to all people. It's important for product developers to define a product based on customer needs and create something specific to that need. Open source product development could prove to be more stifling than helpful in creating great products.
11 comment(s) so far

warby thinks: open source is a great idea provided that corporations aren't exploiting the system to gain free development. Product development is one of the costliest sides of production. If that cost is removed the manufacturer can increase his margins. Profiteering by some individuals or organisations is one side of this system that may deter people from providing ideas and solutions.
(92% of 12 votes AGREE)
jono thinks: this concept theoreticaly is a good idea, who knows what the public want better than the public themselves? it's not unlilke open source programming which uses the vast resource of the internet to deploy it's creations to anyone willing and interested to download them why shouldn't people simply advertise their ideas on websites where any prospective business may find and pick up on the idea - essentialy the main blocking force for people creating their own products to make life easier for themselfs is a lack of resources to manufacture them. Now that the internet is basicaly essential in every day life the resources are in place for other people with the methods to manufacture your idea for you. It is only when people demand revenue for their idea that faults appear within the system - if money is what the indivdual wants then why not simply talk directly to a company? but doesn't doing it for the money destroy the concept of open source creation, shouldn't the idea be to rather 'volunteer' ideas to businesses open to suggestions and hope your idea is created so that you can use it yourself which is what you originaly set out to do.
(80% of 10 votes AGREE)
More conclusions from this category
Start new discussion
You know something that puzzled you by being surprisingly
simple or overwhelmingly complex? Share it, and get more
opinions on it now!
Conclusions & insights
Search in discussions
e.g. search for technology, christmas, future, bioscan
This blog