FITUG e.V. Förderverein Informationstechnik und Gesellschaft

The Open Hardware Certification Program

Software in the Public Interest announces
THE OPEN HARDWARE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

The Open Hardware Certification Program is a self-certification program for hardware manufacturers. By certifying a hardware device as Open, the manufacturer makes a set of promises about the availability of documentation for programming the device-driver interface of a specific hardware device. While the certification does not guarantee that a device driver is available for a specific device and operating system, it does guarantee that anyone who wants to write one can get the information necessary to do so. There is no charge to participate in the program. Vendors of certified equipment have the right to apply the "Open Hardware" logo to their packaging, and to state in advertising that their devices are certified. Users who buy equipment with the "Open Hardware" logo are assured that a change in operating system or even the demise of the manufacturer will not make it impossible to get new software written for their devices.

There is no charge for this certification program. Manufacturers go through a simple self-certification process using perhaps one person-day of work, and can immediately use the Open Hardware logo and can state that their devices are certified.

When you certify a hardware device, you must verify that the following conditions are true, and sign and mail the application form to Software in the Public Interest. Once you do that, you may use the "Open Hardware" logo on your product. If one of the conditions becomes false and you can not rectify it, you must cease use of the logo, and you must cease to claim certification for your device.

Sufficient documentation on the device must be available for a competent systems programmer to write a device driver. The documentation must cover all of the features of the device-driver interface that any user would be expected to employ. This includes input/output and control functions and auxiliary functions such as performance measurement or self-test diagnostics. Details of on-board firmware and the hardware implementation need not be disclosed except when necessary to make it possible to program a driver for the device.
1. A non-disclosure agreement must not be required to gain access to the documentation.
2. The documentation must be available via at least one of these methods:
   • As a document published to the global internet and expected to remain available while the device is offered for sale. The server must not levy any fee for access to the documentation. The document must be in at least one of these formats: HTML, plain text, PostScript, or PDF.
   • In a published book currently in print and available at bookstores and via mail-order in any nation where the device is offered for sale, selling for a price not substantially more than similar technical books.
   • By mail from the manufacturer, for no more than the cost of duplication of materials and shipping.
3. If firmware is downloaded into the device as a normal part of device driver operations, that firmware must be distributable for use with the device.

Open Hardware and Debian are trademarks of Software in the Public Interest, the non-profit organization that produces the Debian Linux Distribution.

We are now soliciting hardware manufacturers to certify their devices and start using the Open Hardware name and logo. You can find an application form on the Open Hardware web site.
If you have questions about the program, please write to Bruce Perens <bruce@debian.org> .

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