What are the computers that can run a free and open source operating system without requiring closed source firmwares? To qualify it should have
- open source boot firmware and the ability to boot without having to load binary blobs
- no proprietary GPU firmware (I'm looking at you, RPi) and an open source graphic driver with video acceleration would be, well, nice.
I don't know what's the state of Lima driver for Mali 400/450 GPU, and Panfrost for Mali T and G series. I think the Vivante has a fully functional open source driver (Etnaviv) and can be found on i.MX6 platforms. But there are so many licensed i.MX6 boards and so few that are properly documented.
So far, I know there are 2 laptops: tthe Pinebook pro (Rockchip RK3399 SOC with Mali T860 MP4 GPU) and Olimex TEREX 64 (Allwinner A64 64-bit Cortex-A53 processor, Mali-400 GPU). Do they require loading blobs to boot? Is the video acceleration usable?
There's also the Novena project which will be much more expensive (Freescale iMX6, Cortex-A9 ARM CPU, Vivante GC2000 GPU)
Open sourced hardware design would grant bonus points, but let's not dream too much for the moment.
>>1
You've also got Raptor Computer Systems, and many Libreboot and Corebooted systems. The i.MX6 is what the FSF suggests on their SBC page. I've heard that Allwinner has been routinely violating the GPL after the A20 and A10.
>>2
I know the RYF webpage. The Raptor Systems are impressive and they're the only computers I know that can boot for sure without proprietary code. I'd certainly recommend them to business owners but I'm looking for something for my own modest use and I don't have that kind of budget. I've alow followed Carefully coreboot and Libreboot hardware compatibility throughout the years but I'm wary of second hand electronics.
I'm more interested in the i.MX6 platform.
https://www.fsf.org/resources/hw/single-board-computers
This page doesn't cite any single model and there are plenty. (It's actually a good thing because if any one model got official endorsement from FSF it would be rebranded TechnoSaveThePlanet or RedditPenguin and its price would go from $40 to $400 even when sold from Chinese retailers)
I'd certainly recommend [Raptor Systems] to business owners but I'm looking for something for my own modest use and I don't have that kind of budget.
This is certainly reasonable.
I've alow followed Carefully coreboot and Libreboot hardware compatibility throughout the years but I'm wary of second hand electronics.
Well there are still some systems which would count towards this, for example the ASUS C201 has a Rockchip 3288 comes with Coreboot, and I believe can still be purchased new.
I'm more interested in the i.MX6 platform.
I did look into specifics of this for a while, but I've unfortunately lost most of my research. The only thing I can recall was that there were many very affordable SolidRun CuBox-i4Pro available second hand at the time I was looking. This seems to not be very relevant given your early mentioned preferences. I do wish you best of luck in finding a preferable model though.
Im more interested in nigga nigga nigga nigger nigger shcmigga nigger nigger niger niggrr nitiger nigger ntiger nitger mogger nigger niyger nigger nigger ngger nigger niggrr
>>5
kek, I just realized that “nigger” is “muh dick” for neanderthals.
The only real problem for general purpose computing seems to be video acceleration. Having the possibility to watch a movie doesn't seem unreasonable to ask.
For headless use, something like this seems ok: https://www.olimex.com/Products/OLinuXino/A20/A20-OLinuXino-LIME2/open-source-hardware
It's used in a couple of projects like https://freedombox.org/ or https://internetcu.be/
The GPU is Mali 400
https://leste.maemo.org/A20-OLinuXIno-LIME2
Note that they are not particularly usable, as we did not yet enable Mali GPU acceleration, and without touchscreen a mouse is not very usable, as the pointer is not (yet) visible. (2018)
https://cgit.freedesktop.org/drm/drm/commit/?id=a1d2a6339961efc078208dc3b2f006e9e9a8e119
https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Lima-DRM-Ready-For-Linux-5.2
video acceleration
The A20 also has a VPU with an open source driver which should make display of MPEG2, H264, H265, in VLC very efficent: https://linux-sunxi.org/Sunxi-cedrus My machine is a bit faster than this one and I can't play 1080p video (720p is fine though), but with the VPU you might be able to on that machine.
mod(s), you might consider adding a bit of code to disallow posting racial slurs. i know hardcoding values sucks, but ... we don't need n-word in 2020, sorry
>>9
Are you seriously asking to add the N-word into the code base? Are you out of your mind?
It's in from the beginning, my friend: http://textboard.org/prog/preferences > Userscripts > Wordfilter.
For instance >>6 renders as
kek, I just realized that “mujina” is “muh dick” for neanderthals.
The greatest thing is that you can filter anything you don't like! The only limit is your imagination.
>>9
On a side note, the idiotic spammer who can't capitalize sentences tried to have /pol/ raid this site: https://boards.4chan.org/pol/thread/260784969/
Not only did he fail miserably, but the genious posted his own static comcast IP in a screenshot that will be forever archived.
>>11
Kind of sad. Even his own kind rejects him.
pine boards https://www.pine64.org/
>>11
While that was mildly entertaining, one wonders how you came to know about that thread.
>>14
Maybe one isn't too bright. Must be some incredible hacker skills or something.
I was looking for something that I've posted in a thread. I really should stop reading what's posted.
Novena
no mention of the MNT Reform
Raptor has the Blackbird board.
>>17
Novena is going to be totally outpriced for an i.MX6 board. I know they bundle an ``open'' Xilinx FPGA but its toolchain isn't open sourced (AFAIK). There are (small) FPGAs with open source toolchains now, like the Lattice iCE 40 (project Icestorm)
I've never heard of the MNT Reform but it ain't cheap either, once you add the processor and the RAM.
If you're willing to spend a few grands on hardware you can also build a RISC-V desktop: https://hackaday.com/2019/02/11/building-a-risc-v-desktop/
>>15
So you immediately get defensive and have to resort to insults as soon as something doesn't go your way to the slightest extent? I assure you that outing yourself as a /PoolOfLosers/ browser is slightly less damaging to how you are perceived than making a fool out of yourself by losing your composure. Lincoln had a habit of writing a response letter in the heat of the moment, then marking it as not to be sent and never sending it. After a day or so he would write a much calmer and more measured response that would actually get sent. It seems your lack of self control is such that you could benefit from the equivalent practice.
>>19
https://google.com/search?q=%22textboard.org%22
http://0x0.st/iVUi.png
WOW LOOK AT THAT! You couln't have thought of it by yourself? What exactly you was in your head? Do tell me, please.
I'm tired of your constant whining and suspicion. Don't give me lessons when you're still on that subject 24 hours after you bumped that thread with your paranoia while I was updating the repo with a template for board list, to avoid some more whining. I may be quick to react but I'm also very quick to move along.
Do you want me to open a curious.cat account for all your future questions? What does this have to do with open hardware?
>>8
The A20 really does seem like a very nice processor. It is capable of operating in complete freedom. It has a 32 bit Arm ISA which should be nice for disassembling and assembly programming if you're into that sort of thing. Supposedly the VPU is actually capable of decoding 4k video in the provided formats in VLC, and if anyone is curious all the content from http://youtube.com and any .mp4 procured from the internet would also be able to use the VPU in VLC.
>>20
I didn't want to call you out as being Bitdiddle merely based on >>15. I didn't expect you to do it yourself either. This is your third episode on this board, after
https://textboard.org/prog/39#t39p165
and
https://textboard.org/prog/39#t39p238
The first one you passed off as
https://textboard.org/prog/39#t39p244
I admit, I was pissed off that one time, a few weeks ago, but not now. There were other problems around me back then...
and the second one as
I'm just overplaying my own (presumed) character for laughs and giggles. I may have untreatable anxiety problems and a weird deadpan sense of humour but that's irrelevant. I actually feel much better when I'm somewhat productive.
At least one other Anon noticed, the one with
https://textboard.org/prog/39#t39p243
Calm your horses, Benny boy. You're better than that.
who referred to you in a way I wouldn't. I am simply not used to getting such outlandish reactions to dry inquiries, so I am still learning how to make such dry inquiries in your case without causing these reactions, because they are completely new to me. We have had other interactions in which you had no problems maintaining your composure.
whining
suspicion
paranoia
This part speaks for itself.
24 hours after
You will understand that some of us are too busy with other things to respond in 19 minutes. Slow exchanges are common on low-volume boards.
Do you want me to open a curious.cat account for all your future questions?
I am perfectly fine with all SchemeBBS questions being on textboard.org. A desire for a different venue can only come from one who is not fine with all SchemeBBS questions being on textboard.org.
What does this have to do with open hardware?
Once you have calmed down, you will see it is exactly as much as the "On a side note" post in >>11.
>>22
You sure look busy.
>>14-16,19,20,22,23
care less about what others think of you. care less about things that don't effect you.
>>21
The only way to know is to try. Those boards from Olimex are cheap and the company is serious. I've already ordered an AR9271 wifi dongle from them. From what I gathered the Lima driver seems to works well now, I even saw some videos of SuperTuxKart running. I'll report back.
response at 21:05 to a post at 21:00
You sure look busy.
You guys always manage to get a chuckle out of me.
>>26
Your lengthy post with all the links and stats while pretending to be busy could have been funny too. But it's just sad. You're a poor, sad person. Additionally, you conveniently forgot to answer >>20. Tell us more about /pol/ and how we need to cancel this site.
>>27
I'm not him.
who are you referring to when saying "we"?
Your lengthy post with all the links and stats while pretending to be busy
1. I was busy with the fourth-order GMP port:
https://lainchan.org/%CE%BB/res/2036.html#19166
Under one second for the u512 overflow R(10^78). I welcome any constructive critique you might have of the code, as well as suggestions for efficiency improvements.
2. A moment of reflection will allow you to see that the time investment that you would need to prepare what you perceive as a "lengthy post with all the links and stats" might be substantially different from the time investment needed by some other Anons for the same undertaking.
But it's just sad. You're a poor, sad person.
You already know that no amount of insults will get any reaction from me, much less an outlandish reaction. If you already got no reaction to "whining, suspicion, paranoia" nor to your virulent tirade from https://textboard.org/prog/39#t39p165 with:
clumsy and incompetent jobless assclown
piece of shit
then how could you possibly expect anything from "You're a poor, sad person"? I do not know how long it will take you, but at some point in the future you will realize that insults like these do not communicate any information about the person being insulted, they only communicate a different kind of information about the insult employer's state of mind.
Tell us more about /pol/ and how we need to cancel this site.
I do not understand why you would include such an obvious fabrication. You cannot expect posters on this board not to know about strawmen, since you have already been called out on one at least once:
https://textboard.org/prog/39#t39p240
This board is among the better ones precisely because it does not require cookies, verification, accounts, logins, javascript or anything of that sort, unlike the /PoolOfLosers/. The one problem I've seen was the spammer you dealt with, with his four thousand threads and constant racial slurs. The fact that the admin, otherwise a pretty cool guy, occasionally has episodes that come with outlandish reactions and loss of self control, doesn't even qualify as a problem.
>>25
I tried to post earlier not sure what happened. I've quite literally considered purchasing one of these for years, I just find it hard to justify considering how satisfied I am with my x60s. Regardless, I look forward to hearing your report.
>>31
oops, now you can see my stockholm syndrome developing live aswell.
>>32
It's all cool. The intended thread was not in doubt.
I need a (wireless) router, any advice? I'm still using an old WRT54G with a very outdated OpenWrt that's no longer maintained. The installed version of OpenSSH needs a legacy phased out key exchange algorithm to connect.
$ ssh -oKexAlgorithms=+diffie-hellman-group14-sha1 root@192.168.100.1
root@192.168.100.1's password:
BusyBox v1.15.3 (2011-11-24 04:30:44 CET) built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.
_______ ________ __
| |.-----.-----.-----.| | | |.----.| |_
| - || _ | -__| || | | || _|| _|
|_______|| __|_____|__|__||________||__| |____|
|__| W I R E L E S S F R E E D O M
Backfire (10.03.1, r29592) ------------------------
* 1/3 shot Kahlua In a shot glass, layer Kahlua
* 1/3 shot Bailey's on the bottom, then Bailey's,
* 1/3 shot Vodka then Vodka.
---------------------------------------------------
root@OpenWrt:~# uname -a
Linux OpenWrt 2.6.32.27 #5 Wed Dec 21 05:56:26 CET 2011 mips GNU/LinuxThe wireless doesn't even work due to the proprietary Broadcom chipset. I still use it when I need to print a document because that's the simplest way to communicate with my antique Laserjet. I've been out of the loop for a while and I hear LibreCMC is the new sensible choice for router firmwares. Here's the list of compatible hardware: https://gogs.librecmc.org/libreCMC/libreCMC/src/LTS/docs/Supported_Hardware.md
They are almost all out of stock and brands like TP-Link are known to update their products without changing the name (but replacing the wireless chipset with a useless closed one) so it's very hard to find the right version. Netgear WNDR3800 can be had for a reasonnable price but is there a catch? Does it ship with the mainline version of uboot for example? I know it might not be the best place to ask but just in case anyone knows. Is buying a router even worth considering or small computer board would be a better choice?
Is buying a router even worth considering or small computer board would be a better choice?
A small computer should have more capabilities and be cheaper. There are also some interesting purpose built machines which are somewhere between a router and a random PC if you're interested in that sort of thing:
https://pcengines.ch/apu2.htm
http://www.banana-pi.org/r2.html