Several things in this update: the OpenPower Foundation released their
EULA (which is really exciting); we had
-a last-minute decision to go to FOSDEM to meet NLNet (and meet lots
+a last-minute decision to go to FOSDEM to meet NLnet (and meet lots
of nice people including someone from the EU Commission); we have new team
members helping out (and making really good progress).
Before we begin, however, we still have a high-priority task of
-finding a C++/compiler developer for the NLNet-funded 3D MESA Driver
+finding a C++/compiler developer for the NLnet-funded 3D MESA Driver
project. EUR 50,000 is available, tax-free: [this
thread](http://lists.libre-riscv.org/pipermail/libre-riscv-dev/2020-January/003302.html)
describes the scope, where you're pretty much at liberty to choose the
precisely zero technical knowledge and couldn't tell the difference between
a good application, a bad application, or a deceptive application.
-These problems only increase as NLNet grants get larger and more
-numerous. Consequently, it's quite a challenge for NLNet to ensure the
-money they've been given responsibility for reaches people who release
-actual free software to improve real-world infrastructure for the
-benefit of EU Citizens (and incidentally the rest of the world).
+These problems only increase as EU grants get larger and more numerous,
+and it's a serious systemic flaw with the whole EU Grant system when
+it comes to heavily-technical projects. Consequently, due to their high
+level of internal expertise and dedication, the EU is extremely happy that
+NLnet takes direct responsibility for ensuring that the money they've
+been given reaches people who release actual free software people to
+improve real-world infrastructure for the benefit of EU Citizens (and
+incidentally the rest of the world).
I had a brief chat with the person from the EU Commission. He was
-delighted to be able to see the sheer number of people involved and being
-sponsored by NLNet. I had an opportunity to ask him about the anti-trust
-aspects of the RISC-V Foundation's ongoing intransigent behaviour.
-He initially expressed puzzlement and some concern, because the EU is
-funding quite a lot of RISC-V projects, and none of them had any issues.
-I asked him a very simple question: "how many of those projects are
-simply *implementing* existing RISC-V Standards?," and he replied, "all
-of them." I then asked, "how many of those projects are *innovating*,
+delighted to be able to see the sheer number of people involved and
+being sponsored by NLnet. I had an opportunity to express some of my
+concerns about NLnet's relationship with the RISC-V Foundation. He
+initially expressed puzzlement, because the EU is funding quite a lot
+of RISC-V projects, and none of them had any issues. I asked him a
+very simple question: "how many of those projects are simply
+*implementing* existing RISC-V Standards?," and he replied, "all of
+them." I then asked, "how many of those projects are *innovating*,
developing alternative extensions to what is dictated by the RISC-V
-Foundation?" With the answer being "none," *that* was the point at which
-he understood the extent of the problem, and (with the systematic failure
-to respond to in-good-faith requests to participate in innovation),
-how the RISC-V Foundation - and its members, by way of them having
-"voting power" and thus having direct influence over how the RISC-V Foundation
-is run - are at risk of violating EU anti-trust legislation, particularly
-given that NLNet's funds for our project come *directly from an EU Horizon
-2020 Grant*.
+Foundation?" With the answer being "none," *that* was the point at
+which he understood the extent of the problem. I'll publish a more
+comprehensive update on this topic soon.
### Meeting Other LibreSOC People
members -- if you'd like to help, check out the [How can I
help?](http://libre-riscv.org/) section of the website.
-We now hoave four new people who are contributing: Cole, Veera, Yehowshua,
+We now have four new people who are contributing: Cole, Veera, Yehowshua,
and Michael. Veera is a sysadmin and I would be delighted to get some
help managing the server. In particular I would like to install `public-inbox`
but it requires `exim4` and `mailman` to be converted to `Maildir`. This is
-the kind of thing that would be great to hand over to another sysadmin.
+the kind of thing that would be great to hand over to
+[another sysadmin](http://bugs.libre-riscv.org/show_bug.cgi?id=181).
Cole just loves the idea of what we're doing and wants to learn, so
what I've asked him to do is simply to follow instructions and
### Other Stuff
-The extra NLNet budgets are helping, as is the continued sponsorship
+The extra NLnet budgets are helping, as is the continued sponsorship
from Purism. I am beginning to get slightly overloaded with the
managerial and bureaucratic tasks, combined with the "Engineering"
tasks that, as is always the case, require 100% sustained week-long
focus. Making all these things compatible is a challenge.
-I still have to coordinate the NLNet tasks for each of the Memoranda
+I still have to coordinate the NLnet tasks for each of the Memoranda
of Understanding, at which point people can then get paid for
completing the associated tasks. I can't quite get over the fact that
-NLNet was happy to allocate such a huge amount of money to this
+NLnet was happy to allocate such a huge amount of money to this
project, it's amazing, humbling, and a huge responsibility.
Also, we got word that the 180 nm tape-outs (one in March 2020, one in
projects / crowdsupply.git / blobdiff