Open Source Finally Hits Real Silicon

pagercam2 writes "While Open Source software has many success stories, hardware and particularly chips haven't had as much. While there have been multiple Open Source projects, none have come to a final product until now. The OpenRISC 1000 has been implemented by Flextronics Semiconductor(a division of Flextronics, the contract manufacturer possibly best known for its production of many Cisco products) along with PCI, 10/100 Ethernet, serial, GPIO etc. ... Details and pretty pictures available at OpenCores.org, and it even runs uClinux. Good Job!"

Watch out...

[Bame Flait]

It's all an attempt by these linux people to control the entire machine from the ground up. Don't trust them, they've let you down in the past.

Finally a competitor for the 286

[Anonymous Coward]

... really is this some sort of sick joke?

Where do they expect this to go?

[ObviousGuy]

What's the roadmap from here for these open core processors? Is there one?

SLASHDOTTED! comments thread here

[Hubert_Shrump]

let the jokes about what sort of processor runs their webserver thread here...

Apparently...

[cartzworth]

...their server is running off one of these since its already Slashdotted.

This is free as in free beer right?

[CrackedButter]

Because if so how do a download a free copy? Or does it get sent in the mail if i fire them an email? Does one pay postage as well? This IS opensource right? I just want the free stuff.

Re:Almost Used in iPod

[Anonymous Coward]

Didn't you hear? Honda is purchasing Apple. I work in middle management at Hopple MotorComps, so you can believe me.

Re:Flextronics Xbox

[dreamchaser]

Last time I checked there were a lot more Cisco boxes out there than Xboxes though ;)

SCO

[HarryCallahan]

In latest news, McBride is claiming to have invented the integrated circuit

Re:One can always hope..

[Luigi30]

You must be having delusions again. You should go to the Ministry of Love to have them treated.

Re:Open Source Chipsets

[DickBreath]

Why should major companies control the architechures that we are using?

Because they are the only ones who can afford to develop and bring us real DRM. That's why. Do you think open source developers could come up with this kind of innovation?

Re:Finally a competitor for the 286

[DickBreath]

Suppose one day it came down to a choice between a less powerful design, or DRM?

With an open core chip, how do you ever expect to have enough processing power to run, say, the next generation of Windows? Furthermore, an open core design won't have innovations like DRM. Imagine how much processing power would be required for the next generation of Windows, let's hypothetically call it, Windows Secure Ultra eXtreme, or just WinSUX for short.

WinSUX will need more processor power than these knockoff open core chips can muster. Surely, you don't want to be caught with a non-innovative, non-secure, under-powered processor designed without a clear roadmap by ammatuers from all over the planet. (Did I forget to mention commie hippies, or terrorists?)

Re:Open Source Chipsets

[Progman3K]

If every Open-Source advocate buys a share in this company it will prove that open-source is NOT communism.

It would take off like gangbusters! Think of it as a donation to get the initial chips produced and off it will go!

What's to stop them from making PC chips then?

What's their stock ticker symbol?