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

[Matt Campbell]

Luke, I'm surprised you're interested in the Ingenic SoCs again. I 
thought you had given up on them because there aren't any current libre 
distros for the MIPS architecture. Has anything changed in that regard?

Regardless, I, for one, would strongly prefer an ARMv7 or ARM64 based 
SoC, for one reason: an ARMv7+ processor can run a huge variety of 
Android apps. While many on this list will want to run 100% libre 
software on their EOMA68 computers, I think the possibility of running 
proprietary Android apps, perhaps in a sandboxed VM on top of a libre 
OS, would increase the appeal of EOMA68 computers to a lot of people.

Matt

On 10/12/2016 7:53 AM, Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton wrote:
> 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.
>
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