Open architecture
Open architecture is a type of computer architecture or software architecture that is designed to make adding, upgrading and swapping components easy.[1] For example, the IBM PC and Apple IIe have an open architecture supporting plug-in cards, whereas the Apple IIc and Amiga 500 computers have a closed architecture. Open architecture systems typically use a standardized system bus such as PCI or ISA that allows multiple hardware manufacturers to produce add-ons. By contrast, closed architectures, if they are expandable at all, have one or two "expansion ports" using a proprietary connector design that may require a license fee from the manufacturer.
Open architecture allows potential users to see inside all or parts of the architecture without any proprietary constraints.[2] Typically, an open architecture publishes all or parts of its architecture that the developer or integrator wants to share. The open business processes involved with an open architecture may require some license agreements between entities sharing the architecture information. Open architectures have been successfully implemented in many diverse fields, including the US Navy.[3]
See also
- 3D printing
- .dwg
- Open Design Alliance
- Open implementation for software with tailorable architecture
- Open network architecture for equal-access requirements in telecommunications
- Open-source architecture ("architecture" in the sense of designing physical buildings)
- Open-source software for software that can be modified and rebuilt
- Open-source hardware
- Thingiverse
References
- ^ Clifton A. Ericson, II (12 April 2011). Concise Encyclopedia of System Safety: Definition of Terms and Concepts. John Wiley & Sons. p. 272. ISBN 978-1-118-02865-0.
- ^ "TRON Project 1987 Open-Architecture Computer Systems: Proceedings of the Third TRON Project Symposium".
- ^ "The HOW and WHY of OPEN ARCHITECTURE".
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