[Arm-netbook] Some Pine64 Experiences (via Planet Debian)

[Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton]

hiya paul, sorry cut all the context: the main thing is, these fabless
semiconductor companies are increasingly seeing themselves as
*solutions* providers *NOT* as "makers of processor designs".  that's
why they go to the lengths of creating the software (which is of
course usually GPL-violating, except in ingenic's case).

they're looking to be the "one-stop-shop" for ODMs.  we - the software
libre community - are just "interfering".  a total waste of their
time.  etc. etc.

shenzen is where all that breaks down.  everything's available.  it's
chaos, it's uncontrollable, there's nothing anybody can do about it -
government or companies: anyone can get anything, but what they they
can't get is information about SoCs: that's up to you to find,
elsewhere.  the shenzen suppliers, you can get datasheets from them if
they think you're serious.  you have to know what you're doing.  this
makes the EOMA68 strategy *even more* sound as i've utilised parts
that are entirely commonly available and in some cases have been for
ten to twenty years.  i've got another update coming out shortly about
this.

so.  the next thing to do is: find other SoCs.  i'm going to start
with the S5P6818 from nexell and the M150 from Ingenic.  if the
distributor i've been put in touch with about the S5P6818 doesn't
respond soon i'll try a different approach.  it's the SoCs that are
the hard part: the laptop, microdesktop and the planned 1280x800
tablet housing, they're easy and once they're made there's *no need to
change them* - ever.  not unless one of the components goes EOL...
across *all* the suppliers that make it in this hodge-podge called
Shenzen where they copy each other like mad.

l.