[Arm-netbook] Release of SoM board KiCAD files with 2x100 pin ARM as a stepping stone

[jm]

On Tue, 2012-12-11 at 22:08 +0700, cnxsoft wrote:
> On 10/12/2012 21:48, jm wrote:
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm releasing SoM board KiCAD files with 2x100 pin ARM as a stepping
> > stone for eventually building the A10 on to SO-DIMM module.
> > http://www.gplsquared.com/SoM1/SoM1.html
> >
> > KiCAD is free software
> > http://www.kicad-pcb.org/display/KICAD/KiCad+EDA+Software+Suite
> >
> > Whereas previously every engineer designed with their own PCB package,
> > KiCAD is free allows every engineer to learn and use KiCAD to
> > communicate with each other through shared PCB design files.
> >
> > This particular board has been manufactured and tested to work.
> > The PCB geometry is accurate for production use.
> > (But as these early days so there are bound to be undesirable
> > mistakes.)
> >
> > The next target is an A10 SoM board.
> > You can send me updates to get a board for A10 built
> > if you feel generous and want to share KiCAD design files.
> > The AllWinner A20 and A13 also look interesting.
> > Or any other CPU.
> > The idea is to share and share much as possible to
> > get embedded PCBs from idea to production as soon as possible
> > through sharing PCB design files. We can all learn
> > KiCAD and make this possible. Design files are all GPL'd.
> > [Please don't submit anything proprietary! - thanks! :-) ]
> >
> I'm wondering if it could be feasible/desirable to use a SoM standard 
> such as EDM or ULP-COM, instead of a proprietary SO-DIMM solution. This 
> way, I assume A10 SoMs (and other derived SoMs from this design) could 
> also be used with baseboards compliant with the chosen standard.

Nothing proprietary - its all GPL'd. You are free to modify
to heart's content! So anyone can take a board and make it their own.
Since KiCAD is free, anyone can learn and build with it.
If someone uploads a standards compliant board, it will be like license
to print money. But some of us like me will be working
on space constrained products where the SoM needs to be customized
heavily to get a product which is where KiCAD comes in with sharing
of design files.