If something is harder to copy, it is ethically ok to have a different
standard for this piece of technology.
Seriously, that's what you're saying above. Because hardware may have
to be copied by hand, you consider them ethically not the same.
Yes, that's my position, for 20 years or more. I think that's the
right place to make the distinction: between "you can copy it
yourself" and "somebody can build more of them".
First of all, VHDL/Verilog are source code. Don't look anything like a
plan.
The crucial thing about source code is that you can compile it and run
it. (And also that you can edit it -- which can be done with
VHDL/Verilog code.)
Also, you don't need your very own fab. There are plenty of fabs
out there that will gladly take your source/plan and turn it into a nice
chip or two for you. It's even semi-affordable if you stick to the larger
feature sizes.
I don't think this brings us to the point where hardware plans become
morally equivalent to software.
Perhaps in the future there will come a time when we can all copy
computer hardware, or all produce computer hardware from plans (in
VHDL or whatever form). At that point I will conclude that we should
insist on making hardware from free plans.
In the mean time, however, I don't think we need to do this.
