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
  69 # How Can I Help?
  70
  71 If you would like to fund us, see [[funding]]. We currently have some
  72 funding and always appreciate more!  If you are a Corporation or an
  73 individual you can donate tax-free to NLNet, and they can in turn gift
  74 our developers.  Contact lkcl@lkcl.net for more information.
  75
  76 # How Can I Help as a Developer?
  77
  78 If you want to write code with us (and receive donations from NLNet
  79 for doing so), keep reading.  If you want to *learn*
  80 so that you can write code with us, see "How can I learn" section,
  81 below.  If there is anything else,
  82 just get in touch on the list, there is plenty to do.
  83
  84 1. First, join the
  85   [mailing list](http://lists.libre-soc.org/mailman/listinfo/libre-soc-dev),
  86   introduce yourself (people will happily say "hello" back") and
  87   the Freenode IRC channel
  88   [#libre-soc](https://libre-soc.org/irclog/latest.log.html).
  89   Read through
  90   [recent posts](http://lists.libre-soc.org/pipermail/libre-soc-dev/)
  91   and the [[charter]], ask questions if you have any and let everyone know,
  92   on the list that you're happy with it and agree to it.
  93 2. The next thing you should do is read through the
  94   [bugs list](http://bugs.libre-soc.org) and
  95   see if there are any bugs that pique your interest.
  96   A fascinating way to do that is to view the
  97   [dependency graph](https://bugs.libre-soc.org/showdependencygraph.cgi?id=1&display=web&rankdir=LR)
  98 3. After that, go ahead and take a look at the
  99    [git repositories](https://git.libre-soc.org).
 100 4. If you plan to do HDL work, you should familiarize yourself with our
 101   [[HDL_workflow]].  If you would like to help with the ASIC layout,
 102   see [[HDL_workflow/coriolis2]]
 103 5. We do have funding available (see [[nlnet]]) upon completion of issues -
 104   we are also working on procuring more funding which gets the project to
 105   nanometre scale tapeout.
 106 6. After all this, if you feel that Libre-SOC is a something
 107   that you would like to contribute to, add yourself to the
 108   [current_members](about_us) page, fill in some information about yourself,
 109   and join the mailing list and say hello.
 110
 111 Also note that you can edit this wiki.  You can experiment in the [[Sandbox]].
 112
 113 ## Quick peek at the code
 114
 115 Here is an example process of how to play with the soc code.  The last
 116 step you will have needed to install yosys:
 117
 118     pip3 install virtualenv requests
 119     mkdir ~/.virtualenvs && cd ~/.virtualenvs
 120     python3 -m venv libresoc
 121     source ~/.virtualenvs/libresoc/bin/activate
 122
 123     cd ~; mkdir libresoc; cd libresoc
 124     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/nmigen.git
 125     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/nmigen-soc.git
 126     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/nmutil.git
 127     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/c4m-jtag.git
 128     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/ieee754fpu.git
 129     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/soc.git
 130
 131     cd nmigen; python setup.py develop; cd ..
 132     cd nmigen-soc; python setup.py develop; cd ..
 133     cd c4m-jtag; python setup.py develop; cd ..
 134     cd nmutil; make install; cd ..
 135     cd ieee754fpu; make install; cd ..
 136     cd soc; make gitupdate; make install; cd ..
 137
 138     python3 soc/src/soc/decoder/power_decoder.py
 139     yosys -p "read_ilang decoder.il; show dec31"
 140
 141 The full install process may be automated using scripts found
 142 here: <https://git.libre-soc.org/?p=dev-env-setup.git;a=summary>
 143 which you can clone with:
 144
 145     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/dev-env-setup.git
 146
 147 ## How can I learn?
 148
 149 The whole purpose of this project is to be a learning environment as well
 150 as an actual business.  If you want to learn how to do ASIC design, with
 151 a view to contributing or starting your own ASIC business, start here:
 152 [[3d_gpu/tutorial]]. Yes, really: do not let anyone tell you that you
 153 can't learn this stuff too.
 154
 155 Along the way, if you find any [[resources]] or links that you found
 156 particularly helpful, please add them to that page so that other people
 157 can also benefit (and you have a place to remember them, too).
 158
 159 ## Needed Skills
 160
 161 Most labor is currently being applied to developing the GPU portion of
 162 the Libre-SOC.
 163
 164 Our highest priority short-term and medium-term: we need HDL engineers.
 165 Particularly those familiar
 166 with nMigen or just python.  Most of the techniques being used require
 167 software engineering skills (OO design, polymorphism) than they do more
 168 traditional HDL programming skills. Basically if you have experience in 2
 169 of the following you'll do fine: python, nmigen, verilog/VHDL/gate-level
 170 design. See [[HDL_workflow]]
 171
 172 We also need to find a c++ engineer with compiler experience to work on
 173 a MESA 3D driver. This will begin life similar to SwiftShader however
 174 retaining the vectorisation and predication intrinsics then adding
 175 hardware accelerated opcodes (all of which SwiftShader lacks)
 176
 177 Also, individuals with experience in formal mathematical verification
 178 are quite welcome.
 179
 180 # Documentation
 181
 182  - [Source Code](/Documentation/index)
 183  - [Architecture](3d_gpu/architecture)