Mini Profile
MikeNF on 06/10/2009 at 12:09PM
Science!
Have you ever wanted to build a 3d printer for rapid prototyping at home, but just didn't know how? Have you ever felt the urge to study college level physics in your leisure time? Thanks to Creative Commons and the GNU GPL, now you can.
The Open Architecture Network has well documented plans and processes for a wide variety of buildings, along with some online challenges. The Open Archaeology Collection is maintained by UC Berkeley, and outlines the entire field of study including projects and research. They even borrow some materials from MIT's Open Courseware site, which has basic materials for almost any subject you're interested in.
SciDev.net is a website providing science news from everywhere, all provided under a CC license. The Creative Commons organization has highlighted a group of African Sleeping Sickness researchers who have developed a cheap, easily distributable way to test for the disease, and they have published their findings under a CC licnese as well.
Some Rights Reserved is a website providing blueprints for DIY home projects, and it takes a different approach to open licensing. Some of the offerings cost £2-£5, and some are free. Free Culture a book on creativity and technology development by the one and only Lawrence Lessig is available here, as well as some product development and trend tracking software, but the coolest thing by far is the RepRap by Adrian Bowyer, freely available GNU GPL plans for a DIY three dimensional printer.
I'd like to dedicate this song to everyone who finds these things as exciting as I do.
