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.
   5   </p>
   6
   7   <p>A chip with lots of peripherals. And it's a VPU.  And it's a 3D GPU...
   8   </p>
   9
  10   <p>Oh and here, have the
  11      <a href="http://git.libre-soc.org">Libre-SOC source code</a>...
  12    </p>
  13 </blockquote>
  14   <hr class="my-4">
  15
  16 <h2 class="display-5">Why should I care?</h2>
  17
  18 With Libre-SOC, you can take complex algorithms usually intended for
  19 power hungry servers with big fat GPUs, and run them on tiny devices
  20 like smartwatches, cellphones, and pocket drones without changing your
  21 code at all.
  22
  23   <hr class="my-4">
  24
  25 <h2 class="display-5">Hasn't Somebody Already Done This?</h2>
  26
  27 To the best of our knowledge, no. The closest systems would be ARM Cortex
  28 devices which currently offer mediocre GPU and OpenCL support. Often
  29 times, it is quite difficult for customers to get their hands on the
  30 drivers and install them due to their locked down nature. Libre-SOC is
  31 providing our own Free/Libre drivers. Easy as 1, 2, 3!
  32
  33   <hr class="my-4">
  34
  35 <h2 class="display-5">Does Open Hardware Really Work?</h2>
  36 <p>A few names come to mind:</p>
  37
  38 <ul>
  39 <li><a href="https://www.raspberrypi.org">Raspberry Pi</a></li>
  40 <li><a href="https://www.arduino.cc">Arduino</a></li>
  41 <li><a href="https://www.raptorcs.com">Raptor Computing Systems</a></li>
  42 <li><a href="https://www.bitcraze.io">CrazyFlie</a></li>
  43 <li><a href="https://www.scopefun.com">ScopeFun</a></li>
  44 </ul>
  45
  46   <p class="lead">
  47     <a class="btn btn-primary btn-lg" href="https://libre-soc.org/why_a_libresoc/" role="button">Learn more</a>
  48
  49 </div>
  50
  51 # Our Team
  52
  53 We are proud of our talented and diverse [team](about_us).
  54
  55 # Our sponsors and partners
  56
  57 * [NLnet](https://nlnet.nl) who have very kindly sponsored us with
  58   over EUR 350,000 in various separate grants.
  59 * [NGI POINTER](https://www.ngi.eu/ngi-projects/ngi-pointer/) who have
  60   sponsored us with a EUR 200,000 Horizon 2020 Grant.
  61 * [Mythic Beasts](http://mythic-beasts.com) who don't overcommit on
  62   their VPS allocations (no memory ballooning), and put servers on
  63   the fastest backbone Internet points.
  64 * [Purism](http://puri.sm) donates to us through [NLNet](nlnet)
  65   charitable gifting
  66 * [Raptor CS](http://raptorcs.com) has given us access to a powerful
  67   18-core 128 GB RAM TALOS II workstation, online.
  68 * [Raptor Engineering](https://raptorengineering.com) is providing
  69   additional assistance including access to an [[shakti/m_class/LPC]]
  70   interface (more to come)
  71 * [MarketNext](http://marketnext.org) is helping us connect to developer
  72   resources in Emerging markets, for completion of NLNet-funded tasks.
  73   See the upcoming [Hackathon](https://www.youtube.com/embed/Px6eakWja3Q"),
  74   deadline May 15th
  75 * The [[PowerPC Notebook]] Project
  76 * [RED Semiconductor](http://redsemiconductor.com) is the commercial realisation of Libre-SOC technology that respects and actively supports Libre principles in its business objectives.
  77 * [[fed4fire]] for supercomputer access for verilator simulations,
  78   with thanks to Ghent University / IMEC.
  79
  80 # How Can I Help?
  81
  82 If you would like to fund us, see [[funding]]. We currently have some
  83 funding and always appreciate more!  If you are a Corporation or an
  84 individual you can donate tax-free to NLNet, and they can in turn gift
  85 our developers.  Contact lkcl@lkcl.net for more information.
  86
  87 # How Can I Help as a Developer? <a name="help_as_developer"></a>
  88
  89 If you want to write code with us (and receive donations from NLNet
  90 for doing so), keep reading.  If you want to *learn*
  91 so that you can write code with us, see "How can I learn" section,
  92 below.  If there is anything else,
  93 just get in touch on the list, there is plenty to do.
  94
  95 1. First, join the
  96   [mailing list](http://lists.libre-soc.org/mailman/listinfo/libre-soc-dev),
  97   introduce yourself (people will happily say "hello" back) and
  98   the Libera IRC channel
  99   (#libre-soc at irc.libera.chat port 6697, see
 100 https://libera.chat/guides/connect), [logs here](https://libre-soc.org/irclog/latest.log.html).
 101   Read through
 102   [recent posts](http://lists.libre-soc.org/pipermail/libre-soc-dev/)
 103   and the [[charter]], ask questions if you have any and let everyone know,
 104   on the list that you're happy with it and agree to it.
 105 2. The next thing you should do is read through the
 106   [bugs list](http://bugs.libre-soc.org) and
 107   see if there are any bugs that pique your interest.
 108   A fascinating way to do that is to view the
 109   [dependency graph](https://bugs.libre-soc.org/showdependencygraph.cgi?id=1&display=web&rankdir=LR)
 110 3. After that, go ahead and take a look at the
 111    [git repositories](https://git.libre-soc.org).
 112 4. If you plan to do HDL work, you should familiarize yourself with our
 113   [[HDL_workflow]].  If you would like to help with the ASIC layout,
 114   see [[HDL_workflow/coriolis2]]
 115 5. We do have funding available (see [[nlnet]]) upon completion of issues -
 116   we are also working on procuring more funding which gets the project to
 117   nanometre scale tapeout.
 118 6. After all this, if you feel that Libre-SOC is a something
 119   that you would like to contribute to, add yourself to the
 120   [current_members](about_us) page, fill in some information about yourself,
 121   and join the mailing list and say hello.
 122
 123 Also note that you can edit this wiki.  You can experiment in the [[Sandbox]].
 124
 125 ## Quick peek at the code
 126
 127 Here is an example process of how to play with the soc code.  The last
 128 step you will have needed to install yosys:
 129
 130     pip3 install virtualenv requests
 131     mkdir ~/.virtualenvs && cd ~/.virtualenvs
 132     python3 -m venv libresoc
 133     source ~/.virtualenvs/libresoc/bin/activate
 134
 135     cd ~; mkdir libresoc; cd libresoc
 136     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/nmigen.git
 137     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/nmigen-soc.git
 138     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/nmutil.git
 139     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/openpower-isa.git
 140     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/c4m-jtag.git
 141     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/ieee754fpu.git
 142     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/soc.git
 143
 144     cd nmigen; python setup.py develop; cd ..
 145     cd nmigen-soc; python setup.py develop; cd ..
 146     cd c4m-jtag; python setup.py develop; cd ..
 147     cd nmutil; make develop; cd ..
 148     cd openpower-isa; make develop; cd ..
 149     cd ieee754fpu; make develop; cd ..
 150     cd soc; make gitupdate; make develop
 151
 152     python3 src/soc/decoder/power_decoder.py
 153     yosys -p "read_ilang decoder.il; show dec31"
 154
 155 The full install process may be automated using scripts found
 156 here: <https://git.libre-soc.org/?p=dev-env-setup.git;a=summary>
 157 which you can clone with:
 158
 159     git clone https://git.libre-soc.org/git/dev-env-setup.git
 160
 161 A convenient page which gives step-by-step instructions is:
 162 [[HDL_workflow/devscripts]]
 163
 164 ## How can I learn?
 165
 166 The whole purpose of this project is to be a learning environment as well
 167 as an actual business.  If you want to learn how to do ASIC design, with
 168 a view to contributing or starting your own ASIC business, start here:
 169 [[3d_gpu/tutorial]]. Yes, really: do not let anyone tell you that you
 170 can't learn this stuff too.
 171
 172 Along the way, if you find any [[resources]] or links that you found
 173 particularly helpful, please add them to that page so that other people
 174 can also benefit (and you have a place to remember them, too).
 175
 176 ## Needed Skills
 177
 178 Most labor is currently being applied to developing the GPU portion of
 179 the Libre-SOC.
 180
 181 Our highest priority short-term and medium-term: we need HDL engineers.
 182 Particularly those familiar
 183 with nMigen or just python.  Most of the techniques being used require
 184 software engineering skills (OO design, polymorphism) than they do more
 185 traditional HDL programming skills. Basically if you have experience in 2
 186 of the following you'll do fine: python, nmigen, verilog/VHDL/gate-level
 187 design. See [[HDL_workflow]]
 188
 189 We also need to find a c++ engineer with compiler experience to work on
 190 a MESA 3D driver. This will begin life similar to SwiftShader however
 191 retaining the vectorisation and predication intrinsics then adding
 192 hardware accelerated opcodes (all of which SwiftShader lacks)
 193
 194 Also, individuals with experience in formal mathematical verification
 195 are quite welcome.
 196
 197 # Documentation
 198
 199  - [Source Code](/docs/)
 200  - [Architecture](3d_gpu/architecture)