# China, Entrepreneurs and Blue Collar Reality

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2010-10-27
- Length: 1h 04m
- Episode: 14
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/the-amp-hour-14-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality/

## Summary

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the distinction between open source software and open hardware, noting that the Open Hardware Summit uses the latter term despite its website branding. They analyze the high barriers to custom ASIC manufacturing, citing MOSIS services and the necessity of specialized EDA tools like Cadence, contrasting this with the relative ease of PCB fabrication. The hosts also critique invention brokers who exploit inventors, using the EcoSwitch as a cautionary tale of wasted time and money, while advocating for rapid, imperfect market entry. Finally, they address the geopolitical tensions surrounding rare earth elements, arguing that China's dominance is based on economic processing infrastructure rather than geological scarcity, and emphasize the importance of blue-collar skilled trades and education in maintaining competitive advantage.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality#t=0) Introduction: Travel, EEV Blog, and Open Hardware Terminology
- [5:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality#t=340) Open Hardware Summit Branding and Community Rants
- [9:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality#t=560) Farnell Rebranding to Element14 and Marketing Critique
- [13:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality#t=820) Custom ASICs, MOSIS, and the Barriers to Entry
- [22:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality#t=1336) Tower Climbing Videos and High Voltage Hobbyists
- [33:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality#t=1994) Electrical Safety, Australian Licensing, and Skilled Trades
- [43:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality#t=2591) Entrepreneurship, University Programs, and the Maker Movement
- [48:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality#t=2900) The EcoSwitch Story and Critique of Invention Brokers
- [54:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality#t=3287) China, Rare Earth Elements, and Geopolitical Supply Chains

## Topics

- [Open-source hardware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/open-source-hardware)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- EEV blog (other)
- Chris Gammell's Analog Life (other)
- JITA (tool)
- Open Hardware Summit (other)
- Farnell (company)
- Element14 (company)
- MOSIS (other)
- Cadence (tool)
- Mentor Graphics (company)
- EcoSwitch (product)
- TV B Gone (product)
- Mitch Altman (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [140: Physics Is the Same Everywhere](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-02-25-140-physics-is-the-same-everywhere) (Embedded.fm)
- [044 - Scots Army Knife](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2021-01-03-044-scots-army-knife) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [S3 E6: Building Innovation Moats with Open Hardware with Andrew "Bunnie" Huang](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2025-12-09-s3-e6-building-innovation-moats-with-open-hardware-with-andrew-bunnie-huang) (The Builder Circle)
- [EMS & The Economist: Geopolitical Factors Shaping the Manufacturing Sector](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2024-09-14-ems-the-economist-geopolitical-factors-shaping-the-manufacturing-sector) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [Silicon 100: Startups Worth Watching in 2023](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2023-08-01-silicon-100-startups-worth-watching-in-2023) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2010-10-27-china-entrepreneurs-and-blue-collar-reality. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Amp Hour.