Re: Please review blog post draft: powerpc64le-linux support

[Chris Marusich <cmmarusich@gmail.com>]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 2379 bytes --]

Vincent Legoll <vincent.legoll@gmail.com> writes:

> Why only speaking of Talos and not about the 3rd option: the blackbird ?
> Maybe just concentrate on the vendor, more than on particular models...

I specifically avoided speaking about the Blackbird, only because it's
not yet RYF-certified.  However, perhaps I'm being too strict about it.

I actually own a Blackbird, myself.  I chose to buy it instead of the
Talos II or Talos II Lite because of its physically smaller form factor
and its lower cost.  I don't know why it isn't RYF-certified yet, but
according to this Phoronix article, they are "pursuing RYF
certification" for Blackbird, too:

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=FSF-RYF-Talos-II

Raptor Computing Systems claims that the Blackbird is "completely blob
free":

https://twitter.com/RaptorCompSys/status/1048373354695208960

They also say in that Twitter thread: "We have been putting together our
systems from blob-free components only (sans NIC as is known and being
actively worked), and this is an area where no low-cost blob-free
silicon is available right now."

However, the Talos II and Blackbird both use the same NIC, so I guess
that wouldn't stop it from meeting the RYF requirements:

https://wiki.raptorcs.com/wiki/Talos_II
Networking: 2x GbE (Broadcom BCM5719)

https://wiki.raptorcs.com/wiki/Blackbird
Networking: 3x GbE (Broadcom BCM5719)

See also:

https://wiki.raptorcs.com/wiki/BCM5719

"As the BCM5719 is the only on-board device on the non-SAS Talos™ II
variants to use proprietary firmware, Raptor Computing Systems has
started a contest to see who can create a truly libre replacement
firmware[1]. Anyone with the appropriate skill set is encouraged to take
up the challenge, and contributions to this page as the device is
analyzed in detail are welcomed.

While the BCM5719 does, at least for now, execute proprietary firmware
it is prevented from corrupting the operating system and/or other
protected memory regions via the system IOMMU[2]."

Thinking about this more, I think we should mention Blackbird in our
blog post as a more affordable option.  Let's explain that it doesn't
yet have RYF certification, but the platform is very similar to the
Talos II, and Raptor Computing Systems is currently pursuing RYF
certification for it, too.

-- 
Chris

[-- Attachment #2: signature.asc --]
[-- Type: application/pgp-signature, Size: 861 bytes --]