On Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 12:29:40AM -0600, Troy Benjegerdes wrote:
> 
> Yes, you're right the A10 has the obnoxious Mali GPU.
> 
> However, (at least at the moment) Allwinner is being significantly 
> more forthcoming about how to program *everything else* on the chip
> than Broadcom is about theirs.
> 
> When the RaPI was announced I started asking about schematics for
> the board and heard some nonsense about a broadcom NDA, at which
> point I wrote it off as worthless.
> 
> Now, I seem to stand corrected, as there are schematics posted, but
> I am still not sure I can find a gerber or other PCB layout for it.
> 
> There are several efforts to do A10-based boards with KiCad (open
> source PCB layout tool)
> 
> 
> I've also selected the A10 for a no-graphics energy monitor
> application because running 100% GPL software was a hard design 
> requirement.

There still is massive GPL violation going on by Allwinner and its 
customers. But over time, enough has been leaked, and a few companies 
(like olimex) are actively contributing, to allow us to call the A10 one 
of the freer arm SoCs. linux-sunxi.org has come into existence in the 
last half a year or so, and development is picking up. Even though the 
hw is becoming a bit long in the tooth in this fast paced market.

As for the mali GPU, keep your eyes peeled at FOSDEM. Yes, ARM is not 
actively supporting free software (and i guess on more fronts than just 
the mali), but now that i have a bit of time on my hands, progress is 
swift. Again, come to FOSDEM or watch the video.

The A10 and specifically linux-sunxi.org has made a lot of this progress 
possible. I now have a proper linux with mostly working ARM Mali 
binaries to do my REing on. Day and night difference with the android 
systems i had to work with before.

Luc Verhaegen.
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