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R0b0t1 <r030t1 <at> gmail.com> writes: |
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> |
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> That the hardware description is foss doesn't mean the fpga fabric or |
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> routing software is. |
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OK, agreed. But I did read quite a bit, but new to the SH family |
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of processors. It appears that since so many SH-2-> SH-4 patents have |
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expired or will expire very soon, there is much optimism about the |
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pathway forward. There are other expiring patents on old ARM hardware and |
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many of those original (hardware) designers are behind the movement to build |
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many similar processors that are open sourced. Licensing does vary. Ymmv. So |
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there are many open source projects popping up, |
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both bsd and gpl licensed and even (haskell) tools to generate vhdl. |
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Surely it's going to take a village, but patent free is patent free, |
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so there is a viable path forward for this hardware and associated linux |
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stacks on top. Read here to get a quick overview, from 2015:: |
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https://lwn.net/Articles/647636/ |
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Or these vhdl projects can be used to build (tape_out) a SoC on a variety |
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of fpga or silicon platforms. There are event old fabs (180 nm) that will |
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spin up chip runs for dirt cheap. There is a plethora of opensource hardware |
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components at:: opencores.org. |
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Or you could run these fpga codes inside some of the newer Intel processors, |
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just like how the NSA does it.... |
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Maybe not commercial, but surely a very cool way to secure key components in |
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your network. Gentoo hardened on a 'hardened opensource core'. Perhaps a |
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robust encryption engine, if rebooted or hacked, goes poof, those really |
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cool security devices, that can just go poof (like an rm -rf command), |
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when some pecker goes looking at something they should not... |
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Or, just maybe I can get an fpga on a new cell phone :: |
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https://blog.arduino.cc/2013/08/12/diy-cellphone/ |
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It's exciting work, no matter how you slice it. Maybe the old intel (iPSC) |
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routing for their hypercube products has some interesting patents about to |
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expire. I'm not sure you can patent a 'fpga layout' but it'd be trivial to |
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get around, anyway. For Damn Sure, the coolest application is a |
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reconfigurable cluster on fpga's, that use whatever core you like (simd, |
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risc, ???) (maybe snowden will publish a roooski core?), |
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with a custom amout/type of ram (something very cool like 'content |
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addressable memory), and load up gentoo hardened, all in a few seconds.... |
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It's a brave new world, as the gentoo commoner (that's us, brah) get some |
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real world, bitchen toys! |
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hth, |
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James |