zkirill

> avoid asking people to do surface mount unless it is reasonably straightforward - it was never meant to done that way.

This is the kind of comment that I was hoping to read here. Would you mind elaborating? What is considered straightforward? Can a PCB be designed or printed in such a way that makes it straightforward to surface mount components? Does the number of PCB layers factor into this?

Not vintage but I loved reading your reference project. Sent you an email just in case.

Sure! I found your email through your profile and will send you a message.

Just wondering if git is used to collaborate on hardware design? I've only seen projects share completed KiCad/PDF/BOM.

I just learned about Easy EDA! The drag and drop of parts is insanely cool. Just wondering if you can mix KiCad with Easy EDA in one workflow? Or, when would one choose KiCad over Easy EDA and vice versa?

The SBC is called Banana Pi M1+. Thank you for introducing me to Helios (Kobol). Their blog and wiki were a very useful and humbling read.

After I posted my question I learned that BPi didn't open source their PCB layout. It looks like I will need even more help than I originally planned.

Awesome article. Just wondering, how can a hardware company voluntarily submit their device for reverse engineering and dismantling as a show of good faith? Given the right circumstances this is basically a free security audit and marketing for the company.

As far as I know the first Apple computer was not really a computer but a box of parts that the customer had to assemble themselves. The early days of Apple is probably the best example of "building in public" because so much of it was actually just selling the dream. In any case, the opposite is infinitely worse. Too many people wasted away for years "building in private". If and when they did finally release it was to the sound of crickets. Hacking for pleasure is one thing. If you're trying to build a business then you must be always be selling and marketing.