OpenSPARC Release
I see that Sun released the source code
that implements the spec for the UltraSPARC T-1 processor, the chip
inside Sun's SunFire T2000. Very cool. The birth of a new open
engineering community. This one will be really fascinating to watch,
though, since we're talking about an open source hardware community. It
will also be interesting to see how the culture of the community
develops over time. For a hint at that you can monitor the Guiding
Principles and Community
Governance Proposal. From the Sun press release -- Sun made public these specifications:
- Source of the UltraSPARC T1 design, expressed in Verilog;
- Verification suite and simulation models;
- ISA specification (UltraSPARC Architecture 2005);
- The Solaris 10 OS simulation images.
"Sun also released porting
specifications for the Solaris 10 OS, which
will allow developers to create and run their multi-threaded hardware
and software products on the world's most advanced operating system.
The release of this open operating open platform bolsters the strength
of this new multi-threaded community."
Below is a list of links covering the announcement in no particular order ...
- Linuxdevices.com:
Sun GPLs Sparc design, multi-threading tech
"Jonathan Schwartz views the GPLing of the OpenSparc T1 design as an opportunity to expand the market for Sparc beyond Solaris." - Sun
Expands Community for SPARC With Release of UltraSPARC T1 Processor
Sun press release on OpenSPARC this morning. - GPLed
Chips
Simon Phipps: "Making the source code to a chip available like this has a different dynamic to making the source of a pure software product available ... I'm excited to be pushing back boundaries with OpenSPARC, anything could happen." - UltraSPARC
T1 design released under the GPL
SunHELP: "Along with the Verilog source, Sun has also released a verification suite, simulation models for the processor, and Solaris operating system images for simulation testing." - Sun
ships free and open microprocessor
Boing Boing: "Sun has released the "code" for one of their microchips, the new OpenSPARC, under the free/open GPL license. This is awesome news...." - OpenSPARC
Lawrence Lessig: "So begins the first large scale open source processor project" - Sun
Expands OpenSPARC Program
eWeek: "OpenSPARC is the latest move by Sun, long known for its proprietary stance, to release its technology to the open-source community." Fascinating way to look at it. - Sun
Opens Up UltraSPARC Chip Design
SimplyRISC director Fabrizio Fazzino: "This levels the playing field for us immensely and we are really looking forward to participating in the OpenSPARC community." - Sun Releases Open
Source Processor Designs
CIO: "The strategy is part of Sun’s OpenSparc Initiative, a move to create the world’s first multicore, multithreaded ecosystem." - ZDNet:
Sparc goes open source
More code, more community building. This one is going to be fascinating: open source hardware. - Sun
releases processor designs as open source
InfoWorld: "Sun has created an opportunity for developers to get involved with the Sparc system, whether it's universities doing studies or engineers building new systems in developing countries like India, China or Hungary." - Sun Expands
OpenSPARC Program
OSNews.com on OpenSPARC.
delicious tags: ultrasparc opensource gpl sun niagara opensolaris opensparc
