Open gardening tools for growing green thumbs and a healthier planet

Apparently, "open source" has become the new "gluten-free" among the keyboard crowd. We can't afford to change our labeling fer GMO ingredients, but we can sure slap a "gluten-free" change on the label ina heartbeat. Kinda like posting articles to LXer. "Heck, it may be blatant SPAM, but someone might find it interesting. After all, the words, 'open source', did appear ....somewhere".

There is nothing "open" about AKER. The products are insanely overpriced plywood kits meant to assuage the egos of upper income eco-freaks. One hundred dollars for a "grow square"? I could probably make this thing fer under $5. Oh, but the plans are "open source", so it must be cool. Yeah, "open source" for $$$$!!

Yes, the open source plans are not free. It cost $51.45 for 4 plans. I think the "grow square" is included. This is hilarious, as the grow square amounts to nothing more that four planks held together by cross-lap joints. I think any intelligent four-year-old could grasp the concept. A cross-lap joint may also be found under yer water bed.

OH!! ....I was able to dwnld free "open source" plans fer the bee hive. Jes what I need! Now, all I need is a some plywood and a "CNC router". That shouldn't cost more than a few grand.

LXer is becoming jes another clearing house fer not-so-subtle SPAM. First, it was that UK magazine, now it's "open source".

Bah! Humbug.

>OH!! ....I was able to dwnld free "open source" plans fer the bee hive. Jes what I need! Now, all I need is a some plywood and a "CNC router". That shouldn't cost more than a few grand.

I agree. It would be better to have a design which could be constructed and assembled with just a few inexpensive tools - rather than a fancy design with wood dowels that need to be milled.

However, I think it's a big step forward in the world of 'open design' to have something freely available as an 'open design'...

I have no problem with the 'open source' claim, just the marketing and the design choice itself.

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The OP article references other 'open design' projects. Some of these are quite good and useful for developing nations. I think I even saw a freely available 'open design' internal combustion engine somewhere. Eventually, this sort of thing is going to be producible by a small group of technically inclined but poor individuals... and that's definitely a good thing.