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   See the upcoming [Hackathon](https://www.youtube.com/embed/Px6eakWja3Q"),
  62   deadline May 15th
  63
  64 # How Can I Help?
  65
  66 If you would like to fund us, see [[funding]]. We currently have some
  67 funding and always appreciate more!  If you are a Corporation or an
  68 individual you can donate tax-free to NLNet, and they can in turn gift
  69 our developers.  Contact lkcl@lkcl.net for more information.
  70
  71 # How Can I Help as a Developer?
  72
  73 If you want to write code with us (and receive donations from NLNet
  74 for doing so), keep reading.  If you want to *learn*
  75 so that you can write code with us, see "How can I learn" section,
  76 below.  If there is anything else,
  77 just get in touch on the list, there is plenty to do.
  78
  79 1. First, join the
  80 [mailing list](http://lists.libre-riscv.org/mailman/listinfo/libre-riscv-dev),
  81 introduce yourself (people will happily say "hello" back"). Read through
  82 [recent posts](http://lists.libre-riscv.org/pipermail/libre-riscv-dev/)
  83 and the [[charter]], and let everyone know, on the list that you're
  84 happy with it and agree to it.
  85 2. The next thing you should do is read through the [bugs
  86 list](http://bugs.libre-riscv.org) and see if there are any bugs that
  87 pique your interest.
  88 3. After that, go ahead and take a look at the    [git repositories](https://git.libre-riscv.org).
  89
  90 4. If you plan to do HDL work, you should familiarize yourself with our
  91    [[HDL_workflow]].  If you would like to help with the ASIC layout,
  92    see [[HDL_workflow/coriolis2]]
  93 5. We do have funding available (see [[nlnet]]) upon completion of issues -
  94 we are also working on procuring more funding which gets the project to
  95 nanometre scale tapeout.
  96 6. After all this, if you feel that Libre-SOC is a something
  97    that you would like to contribute to, add yourself to the
  98    [current_members](about_us) page, fill in some information about yourself,
  99    and join the mailing list and say hello.
 100
 101 Also note that you can edit this wiki.  You can experiment in the [[Sandbox]].
 102
 103 ## Quick peek at the code
 104
 105 Here is an example process of how to play with the soc code:
 106
 107     pip3 install virtualenv requests
 108     mkdir ~/.virtualenvs && cd ~/.virtualenvs
 109     python3 -m venv libresoc
 110     source ~/.virtualenvs/bin/activate
 111
 112     cd ~; mkdir libresoc; cd libresoc
 113     git clone https://git.libre-riscv.org/git/nmutil.git
 114     git clone https://git.libre-riscv.org/git/ieee754fpu.git
 115     git clone https://git.libre-riscv.org/git/soc.git
 116
 117     cd nmutil; pip3 install -e .; cd ..
 118     cd ieee754fpu; pip3 install -e .; cd ..
 119     cd soc; pip3 install -e .; cd ..
 120
 121     python3 soc/src/soc/decoder/power_decoder.py
 122     yosys -p "read_ilang decoder.il; show dec31"
 123
 124
 125
 126 ## How can I learn?
 127
 128 The whole purpose of this project is to be a learning environment as well
 129 as an actual business.  If you want to learn how to do ASIC design, with
 130 a view to contributing or starting your own ASIC business, start here:
 131 [[3d_gpu/tutorial]]. Yes, really: do not let anyone tell you that you
 132 can't learn this stuff too.
 133
 134 Along the way, if you find any [[resources]] or links that you found
 135 particularly helpful, please add them to that page so that other people
 136 can also benefit (and you have a place to remember them, too).
 137
 138 ## Needed Skills
 139
 140 Most labor is currently being applied to developing the GPU portion of
 141 the Libre-SOC.
 142
 143 Our highest priority short-term and medium-term: we need HDL engineers.
 144 Particularly those familiar
 145 with nMigen or just python.  Most of the techniques being used require
 146 software engineering skills (OO design, polymorphism) than they do more
 147 traditional HDL programming skills. Basically if you have experience in 2
 148 of the following you'll do fine: python, nmigen, verilog/VHDL/gate-level
 149 design. See [[HDL_workflow]]
 150
 151 We also need to find a c++ engineer with compiler experience to work on
 152 a MESA 3D driver. This will begin life similar to SwiftShader however
 153 retaining the vectorisation and predication intrinsics as well as hardware
 154 accelerated opcodes (all of which SwiftShader lacks)
 155
 156 Also, individuals with experience in formal mathematical verification
 157 are quite welcome.
 158
 159 # [Documentation](Documentation/SOC/index.md)