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-riscv.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 [[LPC]] interface
  61   (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
  67 # How Can I Help?
  68
  69 If you would like to fund us, see [[funding]]. We currently have some
  70 funding and always appreciate more!  If you are a Corporation or an
  71 individual you can donate tax-free to NLNet, and they can in turn gift
  72 our developers.  Contact lkcl@lkcl.net for more information.
  73
  74 # How Can I Help as a Developer?
  75
  76 If you want to write code with us (and receive donations from NLNet
  77 for doing so), keep reading.  If you want to *learn*
  78 so that you can write code with us, see "How can I learn" section,
  79 below.  If there is anything else,
  80 just get in touch on the list, there is plenty to do.
  81
  82 1. First, join the
  83 [mailing list](http://lists.libre-riscv.org/mailman/listinfo/libre-riscv-dev),
  84 introduce yourself (people will happily say "hello" back"). Read through
  85 [recent posts](http://lists.libre-riscv.org/pipermail/libre-riscv-dev/)
  86 and the [[charter]], and let everyone know, on the list that you're
  87 happy with it and agree to it.
  88 2. The next thing you should do is read through the [bugs
  89 list](http://bugs.libre-riscv.org) and see if there are any bugs that
  90 pique your interest.
  91 3. After that, go ahead and take a look at the    [git repositories](https://git.libre-riscv.org).
  92
  93 4. If you plan to do HDL work, you should familiarize yourself with our
  94    [[HDL_workflow]].  If you would like to help with the ASIC layout,
  95    see [[HDL_workflow/coriolis2]]
  96 5. We do have funding available (see [[nlnet]]) upon completion of issues -
  97 we are also working on procuring more funding which gets the project to
  98 nanometre scale tapeout.
  99 6. After all this, if you feel that Libre-SOC is a something
 100    that you would like to contribute to, add yourself to the
 101    [current_members](about_us) page, fill in some information about yourself,
 102    and join the mailing list and say hello.
 103
 104 Also note that you can edit this wiki.  You can experiment in the [[Sandbox]].
 105
 106 ## Quick peek at the code
 107
 108 Here is an example process of how to play with the soc code:
 109
 110     pip3 install virtualenv requests
 111     mkdir ~/.virtualenvs && cd ~/.virtualenvs
 112     python3 -m venv libresoc
 113     source ~/.virtualenvs/bin/activate
 114
 115     cd ~; mkdir libresoc; cd libresoc
 116     git clone https://git.libre-riscv.org/git/nmutil.git
 117     git clone https://git.libre-riscv.org/git/ieee754fpu.git
 118     git clone https://git.libre-riscv.org/git/soc.git
 119
 120     cd nmutil; pip3 install -e .; cd ..
 121     cd ieee754fpu; pip3 install -e .; cd ..
 122     cd soc; pip3 install -e .; cd ..
 123
 124     python3 soc/src/soc/decoder/power_decoder.py
 125     yosys -p "read_ilang decoder.il; show dec31"
 126
 127
 128
 129 ## How can I learn?
 130
 131 The whole purpose of this project is to be a learning environment as well
 132 as an actual business.  If you want to learn how to do ASIC design, with
 133 a view to contributing or starting your own ASIC business, start here:
 134 [[3d_gpu/tutorial]]. Yes, really: do not let anyone tell you that you
 135 can't learn this stuff too.
 136
 137 Along the way, if you find any [[resources]] or links that you found
 138 particularly helpful, please add them to that page so that other people
 139 can also benefit (and you have a place to remember them, too).
 140
 141 ## Needed Skills
 142
 143 Most labor is currently being applied to developing the GPU portion of
 144 the Libre-SOC.
 145
 146 Our highest priority short-term and medium-term: we need HDL engineers.
 147 Particularly those familiar
 148 with nMigen or just python.  Most of the techniques being used require
 149 software engineering skills (OO design, polymorphism) than they do more
 150 traditional HDL programming skills. Basically if you have experience in 2
 151 of the following you'll do fine: python, nmigen, verilog/VHDL/gate-level
 152 design. See [[HDL_workflow]]
 153
 154 We also need to find a c++ engineer with compiler experience to work on
 155 a MESA 3D driver. This will begin life similar to SwiftShader however
 156 retaining the vectorisation and predication intrinsics as well as hardware
 157 accelerated opcodes (all of which SwiftShader lacks)
 158
 159 Also, individuals with experience in formal mathematical verification
 160 are quite welcome.
 161
 162 # [Documentation](Documentation/SOC/index)