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[[Open Design]] is the application of the principles of [[Free and Open Source Software]] (FOSS) to the design of physical objects such as machines and computer hardware. Open Design is a general term covering a number of specific [[Open Source]] movements. [[Open Source Hardware]] refers primarily to Open Design of microcomputer chips (integrated circuits). [[Open Source Tool Design]] refers primarily to the Open Design of machines. The specific goal of these Open Design mouvements is to use collaborative design principles to assemble on-line libraries of open-source designs. The requires federation of Open Design communities around relevant websites. It may be preferable in some cases to incorporate certain proprietary elements into the otherwise open-source designs, thereby permitting open-source designs even for high-tech products. For example, given the difficulty and expense of design and fabrication of today's extremely complex chips, the [[Open Source Hardware]] movement accepts the use of certain proprietary, closed-source, elements as part of the open-source approach.