Open-Source: Driving The Connected World

Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications continues to evolve, connecting ever more devices and equipment to the Internet-of-Things (IoT). One of the industry trends that can help power the rapid growth of M2M/IoT connectivity are the Open-Source and Open Hardware movements. Open-Source refers to freely available software, including the source code, and is freely modifiable under a "copy left" license. "Copy left" is both a play on words and a legal license — rather than legally keep information proprietary, it legally keeps that information freely available to the public.

Open Hardware is similar where critical and useful details about the hardware, such as circuit diagrams, Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and physical part specs and design files are publicly available, enabling an end-user to repurpose the hardware in any way they see fit. Open Hardware can have its own "copy left" license, or it can use the Open-Source software common licenses.

So how does the Open-Source movement and philosophy drive M2M? Consider the basic concept of Open-Source: freedom from license restrictions. [...]