[cdawzrd]

Many hobby things with USB ports are using the default VID/PID from the chip vendor (generally FTDI's USB-to-Serial converter chips, or the on-chip USB controller of Atmel/Microchip/etc's microcontrollers).

Using your own VID/PID allows you to write and distribute a driver that can be tied to your gadget rather than using a generic driver. Widely distributing products (even if they are "hobby stuff") that re-use the microcontroller's default VID/PID is also usually against the license agreement with the chip vendor and can lead to problems down the road.

[Kliment]

OSHW devices can get a PID from Openmoko's range, and closed source devices can either go fuck themselves or buy a PID from http://www.mcselec.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&f...

The USB-IF can go fuck themselves either way. There is no place for them in this world, and I hope they disappear as soon as reasonably possible.