From: Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton Date: Wed, 13 May 2020 15:14:22 +0000 (+0100) Subject: add libresoc marketnext story X-Git-Tag: convert-csv-opcode-to-binary~2666 X-Git-Url: https://git.libre-soc.org/?a=commitdiff_plain;h=94a167924395aae8b72f48ae42e8873748fd225e;p=libreriscv.git add libresoc marketnext story --- diff --git a/marketnext/libresoc_story_15may2020.mdwn b/marketnext/libresoc_story_15may2020.mdwn index e69de29bb..c942c6ff9 100644 --- a/marketnext/libresoc_story_15may2020.mdwn +++ b/marketnext/libresoc_story_15may2020.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,157 @@ +# Draft Libre-SOC Chip article + +Revisions / History: + +* 11 May 2020 - version 2 + + +**So much more is possible within this very small chip. Not the fastest, +nor the most powerful but the most radical for a new piece of silicon +in the 21st century. The chip will be available to our members together +with the expertise to use it.** + +The Libre-SOC project, with MarketNext, creates a first-of-its-kind +Libre-licensed CPU with built-in GPU (3D) and VPU (Video) capabilities. It +is open to anyone, any entrepreneur, anywhere in the world to extend +it to meet the needs of their local market. This market was previously +considered the realm of very large corporations only. Not having expertise +hasn’t been an obstacle to having the vision because MarketNext has +been able to provide very specific expertise to support this new member. + +This chip can allow people to manufacture Smartphones, tablets & +notebooks, single board computers for all sorts of industrial, embedded +applications, entertainment devices, automotive & power management for +new electric vehicle designs, interactive kiosks, public information +systems, power and resource management. You can build intelligent +behavioural networks for electric vehicle recharging & power-grids. +One application could be to accelerate the evolution of the current +internet to be better suited to developing economies, and providing +access to management heuristics within that network. + +It has been built so that countries and citizens regain Sovereign control +over their computing technology. When the Quad-core version of the chip +is ready, its cost in volume will be around $4 (74 ZAR, 302 INR, £3.22). +It has a massive potential to change the status quo. We accept at the +moment that things are manufactured in South Korea or China and then +distributed all over the world. With Libre-SOC chips, suddenly, anybody +with a small workshop can create sophisticated computing devices with +much reduced legal and technical hurdles. We are building expertise +which is valuable and we are inviting anyone to co-create empowering +opportunities for the people who use it. + +New MarketNext member Luke Leighton conceived this design, and, with the +help of Mitch Alsup on the comp.arch newsnet group, got a crash-course +education in chip architecture. Mitch is the designer of the Motorola +68000, 88120, AMD K9, AMD Opteron Series, and a lead architect on +Samsung's recent GPU. He is also one of the few people in the world +with working knowledge of the exceptionally powerful Cray CDC6600 - +the inspiration for this initiative's core engine. Other invaluable +team members, Jacob Lifshay, Yehowshua Immanuel, Michael Nolan and more, +share the same goals and have been helping to make this chip a reality. + +“We’re not trying to build the fastest", Luke said. "or the most +powerful computer processor ever. It is the most radical design. +It’s capable of a high degree of parallel processing. Also it’s +the first ever Libre-licensed chip which has such a radical and +ambitious architecture, with an extended instruction set that makes GPU +instructions native. This means that all video and 3D processing is +done far more efficiently inside the chip, dramatically simplifying +software drivers and end-user applications as a hugely beneficial +side-effect”. Fundamentally, free open source software is better, +not just because it’s free as in free beer but also because it’s +free as in free and fair elections. When a closed operation works, +their development cycle tends to go through big internal iterations and +the teams are contractually unable to talk to anyone. The 3rd party +developers using that product who find errors and need help from the +company meet stone-cold brick walls in the form of NDAs and "support +contracts". With this design being conducted entirely in the open, +developers do not need to ask permission. They can download the drivers +and the full hardware design immediately. Mistakes are rectified faster, +more elegant solutions are incorporated earlier, the open design process +always creates better results which are more user & market friendly. + +There is also an additional huge market for peripherals, interfaces, +environmental sensors, human interface devices including virtual reality +supported by future versions. By 2022, we expect to mass-produce a +Quad Core 64-bit chip with a dual issue 800Mhz processor and a 320 pin +package for under $4. + +Libre-SOC is a system which has grown from following Libre principles. +What it basically does is it extends the ethical FOSS (Free Open Source +Software) principles into hardware. Presently you have to run open source +software on hardware such as Intel or Apple. When this chip exists there +will be no corporate stranglehold on any part of the whole stack. + +This allows massive revenue transfer. We open closed markets and create +product income for all members of the network closer to the point of use. +The astronomical revenues kept in tax havens by corporations can now be +shared by local communities all over the whole world. + +Any patents will be based on the IBM patent pool concept, which is +royalty-free for any user unless that user asserts litigation detrimental +to other members of the user community. + +So here is a system where MarketNext members can provide customer +services, legal service, marketing services and crucial technical +expertise. Although we can’t have complete control over how an open +product is used, the core developers and MarketNext members, having +current know-how, are by default the logical best route and will have +first-mover advantage. + +Within closed and proprietary systems, you have the so-called Peter +Principle where people are promoted into a role above their ability +and then they stay at that role, slightly above their ability. In an +open system that can’t happen. In an open project you are not +working with a project according to the abilities you had in the past. +You’re contributing according to your best assets right now and we +can avoid the massive mistake of closed systems. + +For example: due to NDAs, proprietary and closed development teams +are prevented and prohibited from reaching out if they need outside +assistance. Libre and Open Projects, never having signed an NDA, if +they need help, may ask on public forums such as comp.arch, immediately. +More than that: again, with no NDAs, and operating entirely in the +public eye, anyone may reach out, at any time, and volunteer their advice +and expertise. + +It will be practical and usable. We are doing this really fast because +sharing knowledge is key to our growth. We hope to have our first device +ready for October 2020 as a proof of concept test chip. We already have +simulator builds and unit tests as part of the daily development plan. +By August this year, we aim to have an FPGA (Floating Point Gate Array) +build ready which is a hardware simulation and then we will really be +able to test it. We will potentially have around 30 chips available for +testing on 180nm. Those precious chips will be available to exclusive +and strategic partners willing to help us achieve this ambitious goal. + +A simple way to understand how the Open Source model works is for +example with Linus Torvalds who was the spearhead of the Linux operating +system. He is available to anyone in the world to help with their Linux +project. But it works fine without him. He’s available for hire but +not for employment. Typically such founders will be involved in projects +which expand the use case and which extends the reach of the technology. +Because of the openness and the visibility of this development, that +expertise becomes available to more MarketNext members to share. + +Libre-SOC has thrived by openly asking questions in public and receiving +amazing support. The collaborators come so far from India, Russia, UK, +Iceland, Canada, USA, Germany, Belgium and Taiwan. Now that it’s part +of MarketNext we expect that collaboration to grow further. + +There are many applications for this in the developing market and +advantages from removing reliance on expensive imported goods and being +able to manufacture more locally. This chip will be available cheaply +to members and support and expertise will be available to members for +how to take this and make this core component which has never been +available before. + +With Linux over the past few decades, there have been very stable incomes +from this free project from support, education and training. It powers +over 60% of all the worlds’ web servers. Now these are the first steps +ever in creating an open hardware platform. The potential applications +for this are highly expansive. + +Whilst considerably simpler this creates more opportunity for those +in legal services, human resource consultancy, education, science & +engineering, public policy, and many other areas of our members interests. +