If you have ever wanted to take advantage of the expanding field of open source software for electronics and everyday applications, this book is for you. Using the Linux OS, Warwick A. Smith guides you through the world of open source hardware and software, teaching readers to use EDA tools and software that is readily available online, free to download. This book is about changing today's electronics enthusiast into empowered, savvy, discerning engineers capable of building and modifying their creations, be it solely on Linux or in tandem with your current operating system. At a glance: Install and learn to use a Linux operating system; Learn to use open source EDA tools for creating circuit diagrams and circuit boards; Use the Arduino and the Arduino Ethernet shield open source hardware; Build one of several AVR microcontroller programmers; Develop software for, program and debug 8bit AVR microcontrollers on a Linux system; Interface a LCD display to a Linux PC to show Linux system information; Install C language development tools for MSP430 and ARM microcontrollers; Discover interesting and useful open source software; Make homemade circuit boards designed using open source tools. All hardware projects can be built on single-sided PCBs and made at home, or output files can be generated for professional manufacture of boards. No special hard to get parts are used. Many of the software programs used are also available for Windows.