> MM1 is based on a FPGA, a technology I have only a vague understanding > of, but AFAIK you need both a phisical FPGA chip and a logical > description of the chip you want the FPGA to emulate, right? So, is this > logical description already completely free, ie. I can download it and > tweak it? Is the FPGA chip free, ie. I can get the schematics and build > one on my own?
There is always another layer, and another layer, and another layer. Until you are down to some rare metal mining company that holds a near monopoly on certain rare metals. I am passionate about making great products, and I think free technology is a natural choice to make the best technology products in the future. I wouldn't want to work on the proprietary side because I couldn't make my products perfect. Others may have other reasons why they choose this or that technology. Back to FPGAs, I do think it's a standard technology. Verilog and VHDL are standard programming languages (minus vendor specific enhancements). The synthesis tools are mostly proprietary but eventually we will have better free replacements (and we will switch to them once they are truly better). In the meantime, something like the Milkymist SoC is (theoretically) portable between FPGAs from Xilinx, Altera, Lattice (?), maybe others? Those are all independent companies - I think that prooves the point that we are building on an 'open' hardware foundation. There is no way me or anybody else will logically corner anyone into accepting the final definition of what is hardware and what is software, and whether there is still any 'proprietary' knowledge inside a hardware or software product. I'm just focusing on products, and I think Milkymist One is a truly awesome product, and it will only get better *because* we have taken care to use free technology in all places that matter. Next thing I want to open and make more easily reusable is the supply chain, I'm learning about OpenERP right now... Hope this helps, Cheers, Wolfgang _______________________________________________ Qi Hardware Discussion List Mail to list (members only): [email protected] Subscribe or Unsubscribe: http://lists.en.qi-hardware.com/mailman/listinfo/discussion
