# Summary of #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion (Nov 21, 2009)

* Discussion of SKDB (Software Knowledge Database), described as "apt but for hardware," highlighting challenges in creating a package manager for open hardware components and the need for standardized assembly instructions.

* Participants debated the importance of open manufacturing and open hardware, with some expressing frustration about proprietary standards like ISO that limit accessibility to technical specifications.

* Several open design resources were shared, including Contraptor.org, OpenDesign.org repositories, and RepLab.org, which focus on open-source hardware design and fabrication.

* Conversation touched on technical aspects of hardware components like bearings (including the ABEC scale used in skateboard bearings) and the challenges of parsing manufacturer datasheets for standardized metadata.

* The group discussed the need for manufacturing-process-based CAD file formats and the lack of incentives for manufacturers to create computer-readable datasheets.

* A research article about consciousness requiring fewer neurons than previously thought was shared (physorg.com/news177692594.html), with comments about its implications for artificial intelligence.