index.mdwn

   1 <div class="jumbotron">
   2   <h1 class="display-5">Welcome to Libre-SOC</h1>
   3 <blockquote>
   4   <p>We're building a chip. A fast chip. A safe chip. A trusted chip.</p>
   5
   6   <p>A chip with lots of peripherals. And a VPU.  And a 3D GPU...</p>
   7
   8   <p>Oh and here, have the <a href="http://git.libre-soc.org">source code</a>...</p>
   9 </blockquote>
  10   <hr class="my-4">
  11
  12 <h2 class="display-5">Why should I care?</h2>
  13
  14 With Libre-SOC, you can take complex algorithms usually intended for
  15 power hungry servers with big fat GPUs, and run them on tiny devices
  16 like smartwatches, cellphones, and pocket drones without changing your
  17 code at all.
  18
  19   <hr class="my-4">
  20
  21 <h2 class="display-5">Hasn't Somebody Already Done This?</h2>
  22
  23 To the best of our knowledge, no. The closest systems would be ARM Cortex
  24 devices which currently offer mediocre GPU and OpenCL support. Often
  25 times, it is quite difficult for customers to get their hands on the
  26 drivers and install them due to their locked down nature. Libre-SOC is
  27 providing our own Free/Libre drivers. Easy as 1, 2, 3!
  28
  29   <hr class="my-4">
  30
  31 <h2 class="display-5">Does Open Hardware Really Work?</h2>
  32 <p>A few names come to mind:</p>
  33
  34 <ul>
  35 <li><a href="https://www.raspberrypi.org">Raspberry Pi</a></li>
  36 <li><a href="https://www.arduino.cc">Arduino</a></li>
  37 <li><a href="https://www.raptorcs.com">Raptor Computing Systems</a></li>
  38 <li><a href="https://www.bitcraze.io">CrazyFlie</a></li>
  39 <li><a href="https://www.scopefun.com">ScopeFun</a></li>
  40 </ul>
  41
  42   <p class="lead">
  43     <a class="btn btn-primary btn-lg" href="https://libre-soc.org/why_a_libresoc/" role="button">Learn more</a>
  44
  45 </div>
  46
  47
  48
  49 # Our Team
  50
  51 We are proud of our talented and diverse [team](about_us).
  52
  53 # Our sponsors and partners
  54
  55 * [Purism](http://puri.sm) donates to us through [NLNet](nlnet)
  56   charitable gifting
  57 * [Raptor CS](http://raptorcs.com) has given us access to a powerful
  58   18-core 128 GB RAM TALOS II workstation, online.
  59 * [Raptor Engineering](https://raptorengineering.com) is providing
  60   additional assistance including access to an [[shakti/m_class/LPC]]
  61   interface (more to come)
  62 * [MarketNext](http://marketnext.org) is helping us connect to developer
  63   resources in Emerging markets, for completion of NLNet-funded tasks.
  64   See the upcoming [Hackathon](https://www.youtube.com/embed/Px6eakWja3Q"),
  65   deadline May 15th
  66 * The [[PowerPC Notebook]] Project
  67 * [RED Semiconductor](http://redsemiconductor.com) is the commercial realisation of Libre-SOC technology that respects and actively supports Libre principles in its business objectives.
  68 * [[fed4fire]] for supercomputer access for verilator simulations,
  69   with thanks to Ghent University / IMEC.
  70
  71 # How Can I Help?
  72
  73 If you would like to fund us, see [[funding]]. We currently have some
  74 funding and always appreciate more!  If you are a Corporation or an
  75 individual you can donate tax-free to NLNet, and they can in turn gift
  76 our developers.  Contact lkcl@lkcl.net for more information.
  77
  78 # How Can I Help as a Developer? <a name="help_as_developer"></a>
  79
  80 If you want to write code with us (and receive donations from NLNet
  81 for doing so), keep reading.  If you want to *learn*
  82 so that you can write code with us, see "How can I learn" section,
  83 below.  If there is anything else,
  84 just get in touch on the list, there is plenty to do.
  85
  86 1. First, join the
  87   [mailing list](http://lists.libre-soc.org/mailman/listinfo/libre-soc-dev),
  88   introduce yourself (people will happily say "hello" back") and
  89   the Freenode IRC channel
  90   [#libre-soc](https://libre-soc.org/irclog/latest.log.html).
  91   Read through
  92   [recent posts](http://lists.libre-soc.org/pipermail/libre-soc-dev/)
  93   and the [[charter]], ask questions if you have any and let everyone know,
  94   on the list that you're happy with it and agree to it.
  95 2. The next thing you should do is read through the
  96   [bugs list](http://bugs.libre-soc.org) and
  97   see if there are any bugs that pique your interest.
  98   A fascinating way to do that is to view the
  99   [dependency graph](https://bugs.libre-soc.org/showdependencygraph.cgi?id=1&display=web&rankdir=LR)
 100 3. After that, go ahead and take a look at the
 101    [git repositories](https://git.libre-soc.org).
 102 4. If you plan to do HDL work, you should familiarize yourself with our
 103   [[HDL_workflow]].  If you would like to help with the ASIC layout,
 104   see [[HDL_workflow/coriolis2]]
 105 5. We do have funding available (see [[nlnet]]) upon completion of issues -
 106   we are also working on procuring more funding which gets the project to
 107   nanometre scale tapeout.
 108 6. After all this, if you feel that Libre-SOC is a something
 109   that you would like to contribute to, add yourself to the
 110   [current_members](about_us) page, fill in some information about yourself,
 111   and join the mailing list and say hello.
 112
 113 Also note that you can edit this wiki.  You can experiment in the [[Sandbox]].
 114
 115 ## Quick peek at the code
 116
 117 Here is an example process of how to play with the soc code.  The last
 118 step you will have needed to install yosys:
 119
 120     pip3 install virtualenv requests
 121     mkdir ~/.virtualenvs && cd ~/.virtualenvs
 122     python3 -m venv libresoc
 123     source ~/.virtualenvs/libresoc/bin/activate
 124
 125     cd ~; mkdir libresoc; cd libresoc
 126     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/nmigen.git
 127     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/nmigen-soc.git
 128     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/nmutil.git
 129     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/openpower-isa.git
 130     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/c4m-jtag.git
 131     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/ieee754fpu.git
 132     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/soc.git
 133
 134     cd nmigen; python setup.py develop; cd ..
 135     cd nmigen-soc; python setup.py develop; cd ..
 136     cd c4m-jtag; python setup.py develop; cd ..
 137     cd nmutil; make develop; cd ..
 138     cd openpower-isa; make develop; cd ..
 139     cd ieee754fpu; make develop; cd ..
 140     cd soc; make gitupdate; make develop
 141
 142     python3 src/soc/decoder/power_decoder.py
 143     yosys -p "read_ilang decoder.il; show dec31"
 144
 145 The full install process may be automated using scripts found
 146 here: <https://git.libre-soc.org/?p=dev-env-setup.git;a=summary>
 147 which you can clone with:
 148
 149     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/dev-env-setup.git
 150
 151 ## How can I learn?
 152
 153 The whole purpose of this project is to be a learning environment as well
 154 as an actual business.  If you want to learn how to do ASIC design, with
 155 a view to contributing or starting your own ASIC business, start here:
 156 [[3d_gpu/tutorial]]. Yes, really: do not let anyone tell you that you
 157 can't learn this stuff too.
 158
 159 Along the way, if you find any [[resources]] or links that you found
 160 particularly helpful, please add them to that page so that other people
 161 can also benefit (and you have a place to remember them, too).
 162
 163 ## Needed Skills
 164
 165 Most labor is currently being applied to developing the GPU portion of
 166 the Libre-SOC.
 167
 168 Our highest priority short-term and medium-term: we need HDL engineers.
 169 Particularly those familiar
 170 with nMigen or just python.  Most of the techniques being used require
 171 software engineering skills (OO design, polymorphism) than they do more
 172 traditional HDL programming skills. Basically if you have experience in 2
 173 of the following you'll do fine: python, nmigen, verilog/VHDL/gate-level
 174 design. See [[HDL_workflow]]
 175
 176 We also need to find a c++ engineer with compiler experience to work on
 177 a MESA 3D driver. This will begin life similar to SwiftShader however
 178 retaining the vectorisation and predication intrinsics then adding
 179 hardware accelerated opcodes (all of which SwiftShader lacks)
 180
 181 Also, individuals with experience in formal mathematical verification
 182 are quite welcome.
 183
 184 # Documentation
 185
 186  - [Source Code](/docs/)
 187  - [Architecture](3d_gpu/architecture)