Libre GPU/VPU/SOC updates/OFF TOPIC

Libre GPU/VPU/SOC updates/OFF TOPIC

[Joshua Branson]

Hey Guix people!

Do you remember those libre hardware SOC EOMA68 computing devices?

https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68/micro-desktop

It was a system-on-a-chip, that had 1 GB ram that you put in your laptop
or desktop housing.  You could then upgrade to the new SOC for $50.
That's game changing in an industry that revolves around you buying a
new laptop computer every 5 years.

Anyway, Luke is working now working a Libre GPU/SOC:

https://www.crowdsupply.com/libre-risc-v/m-class

(this site is more up to date).
https://libre-soc.org/3d_gpu/

From the above site:

#+BEGIN_SRC org
Note: this is a hybrid CPU, VPU and GPU. It is not, as
many news articles are implying, a "dedicated exclusive GPU". The option
exists to create a stand-alone GPU product (contact us if this is a
product that you want). Our primary goal is to design a complete
all-in-one processor (System-on-a-Chip) that happens to include
libre-licensed VPU and GPU accelerated instructions as part of the
actual - main - CPU itself. This greatly simplifies driver development,
applications integration and debugging, reducing costs and time to
market in the process.
#+END_SRC

I did interview (1) Luke a few days ago, and he mentioned that they are
going to be spending $20,000 USD to make some FPGA prototypes.  I did
request that he donate one to some Guix developers.  :D The current SOC
is using IMB's Power ISA, and Luke does need some help in designing the
hardware.  NLnet is providing some funding.

Luke's mailing list is available here:

http://lists.phcomp.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/arm-netbook

Luke's latest mailing list mentioned that NLnet does provide funding for
some of these projects, but there is a time limit.

#+BEGIN_SRC org
well i urgently need people to help out.

there is a time limit on the NLnet funding.
#+END_SRC


1)  https://video.hardlimit.com/videos/watch/playlist/41587906-bec9-4bae-801a-b8a4c91960ce?playlistPosition=3&resume=true
The video is also available via the other dominant proprietary video platform...

Apologies if this is too off topic.

--
Joshua Branson (joshuaBPMan in #guix)
Sent from Emacs and Gnus
  https://gnucode.me
  https://video.hardlimit.com/accounts/joshua_branson/video-channels
  https://propernaming.org
  "You can have whatever you want, as long as you help
enough other people get what they want." - Zig Ziglar

Re: Libre GPU/VPU/SOC updates/OFF TOPIC

[Ricardo Wurmus]

Joshua Branson <jbranso@dismail.de> writes:

> Do you remember those libre hardware SOC EOMA68 computing 
> devices?
>
> https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68/micro-desktop
>
> It was a system-on-a-chip, that had 1 GB ram that you put in 
> your laptop
> or desktop housing.  You could then upgrade to the new SOC for 
> $50.

It was never completed.  I supported the campaign back then, but I 
never received that first EOMA68-A20 “Libre Tea” computer card.

> Apologies if this is too off topic.

It is.  There isn’t anything Guix folks can do to make Guix run on 
non-existent hardware ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

-- 
Ricardo

Re: Libre GPU/VPU/SOC updates/OFF TOPIC

[Tobias Platen]

On Wed, 30 Jun 2021 23:08:28 +0200
Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net> wrote:

> It was never completed.  I supported the campaign back then, but I 
> never received that first EOMA68-A20 “Libre Tea” computer card.

For porting to the EOMA68-A20 we can use similar hardware that uses the same SOC. 
For the Libre-SOC port we can start with a Talos II or BlackBird. 

-- 
Tobias Platen <guix@platen-software.de>