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 * [MarketNext](http://marketnext.org) is helping us connect to developer
  60   resources in Emerging markets, for completion of NLNet-funded tasks.
  61
  62 # How Can I Help?
  63
  64 If you would like to fund us, see [[funding]]. We currently have some
  65 funding and always appreciate more!  If you are a Corporation or an
  66 individual you can donate tax-free to NLNet, and they can in turn gift
  67 our developers.  Contact lkcl@lkcl.net for more information.
  68
  69 # How Can I Help as a Developer?
  70
  71 If you want to write code with us (and receive donations from NLNet
  72 for doing so), keep reading.  If you want to *learn*
  73 so that you can write code with us, see "How can I learn" section,
  74 below.  If there is anything else,
  75 just get in touch on the list, there is plenty to do.
  76
  77 1. First, join the
  78 [mailing list](http://lists.libre-riscv.org/mailman/listinfo/libre-riscv-dev),
  79 introduce yourself (people will happily say "hello" back"). Read through
  80 [recent posts](http://lists.libre-riscv.org/pipermail/libre-riscv-dev/)
  81 and the [[charter]], and let everyone know, on the list that you're
  82 happy with it and agree to it.
  83 2. The next thing you should do is read through the [bugs
  84 list](http://bugs.libre-riscv.org) and see if there are any bugs that
  85 pique your interest.
  86 3. After that, go ahead and take a look at the    [git repositories](https://git.libre-riscv.org).
  87
  88 4. If you plan to do HDL work, you should familiarize yourself with our
  89    [[HDL_workflow]].  If you would like to help with the ASIC layout,
  90    see [[HDL_workflow/coriolis2]]
  91 5. We do have funding available (see [[nlnet]]) upon completion of issues -
  92 we are also working on procuring more funding which gets the project to
  93 nanometre scale tapeout.
  94 6. After all this, if you feel that Libre-SOC is a something
  95    that you would like to contribute to, add yourself to the
  96    [current_members](about_us) page, fill in some information about yourself,
  97    and join the mailing list and say hello.
  98
  99 Also note that you can edit this wiki.  You can experiment in the [[Sandbox]].
 100
 101 ## Quick peek at the code
 102
 103 Here is an example process of how to play with the soc code:
 104
 105     pip3 install virtualenv requests
 106     mkdir ~/.virtualenvs && cd ~/.virtualenvs
 107     python3 -m venv libresoc
 108     source ~/.virtualenvs/bin/activate
 109
 110     cd ~; mkdir libresoc; cd libresoc
 111     git clone https://git.libre-riscv.org/git/nmutil.git
 112     git clone https://git.libre-riscv.org/git/ieee754fpu.git
 113     git clone https://git.libre-riscv.org/git/soc.git
 114
 115     cd nmutil; pip3 install -e .; cd ..
 116     cd ieee754fpu; pip3 install -e .; cd ..
 117     cd soc; pip3 install -e .; cd ..
 118
 119     python3 soc/src/soc/decoder/power_decoder.py
 120     yosys -p "read_ilang decoder.il; show dec31"
 121
 122
 123
 124 ## How can I learn?
 125
 126 The whole purpose of this project is to be a learning environment as well
 127 as an actual business.  If you want to learn how to do ASIC design, with
 128 a view to contributing or starting your own ASIC business, start here:
 129 [[3d_gpu/tutorial]]. Yes, really: do not let anyone tell you that you
 130 can't learn this stuff too.
 131
 132 Along the way, if you find any [[resources]] or links that you found
 133 particularly helpful, please add them to that page so that other people
 134 can also benefit (and you have a place to remember them, too).
 135
 136 ## Needed Skills
 137
 138 Most labor is currently being applied to developing the GPU portion of
 139 the Libre-SOC.
 140
 141 Our highest priority short-term and medium-term: we need HDL engineers.
 142 Particularly those familiar
 143 with nMigen or just python.  Most of the techniques being used require
 144 software engineering skills (OO design, polymorphism) than they do more
 145 traditional HDL programming skills. Basically if you have experience in 2
 146 of the following you'll do fine: python, nmigen, verilog/VHDL/gate-level
 147 design. See [[HDL_workflow]]
 148
 149 We also need to find a c++ engineer with compiler experience to work on
 150 a MESA 3D driver. This will begin life similar to SwiftShader however
 151 retaining the vectorisation and predication intrinsics as well as hardware
 152 accelerated opcodes (all of which SwiftShader lacks)
 153
 154 Also, individuals with experience in formal mathematical verification
 155 are quite welcome.
 156
 157 # [Documentation](Documentation/SOC/index.md)