user4334: Why are AntMiners' firmware closed-source / non-GPL? What does Bitmain have to lose by making the source open?

user9382: The ASIC "arms-race" is all about having cutting edge technology. In a recent Motherboard article about a mining farm, the hardware was not even allowed to be specified.
Consider also that both SHA256/Scrypt ASIC manufacturers were clamoring to bring smaller nanometer sized chips - and the associated R&D costs - and it's probably more a question of why a company would make their hardware open source.

4334: <p>Why are AntMiners' firmware closed-source / non-GPL? What does Bitmain have to lose by making the source open?</p>
 9382: <p>The ASIC "arms-race" is all about having cutting edge technology. In a <a href="http://motherboard.vice.com/read/chinas-biggest-secret-bitcoin-mine" rel="nofollow">recent Motherboard article</a> about a mining farm, the hardware was not even allowed to be specified.</p>

<p>Consider also that both SHA256/Scrypt ASIC manufacturers were clamoring to bring smaller nanometer sized chips - and the associated R&amp;D costs - and it's probably more a question of why a company <em>would</em> make their hardware open source.</p>
