[Arm-netbook] Should we support libre.computer's efforts at promoting lima?

[Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton]

---
crowd-funded eco-conscious hardware: https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68

On Wed, Oct 17, 2018 at 2:58 PM David Niklas <doark at mail.com> wrote:
>
> On Wed, 17 Oct 2018 08:43:29 +0100
> Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton <lkcl at lkcl.net> wrote:
>
> > USD $1m would fund the Libre RISC-V 3D GPU effort through to 100%
> > completion including quite likely actual test silicon in a smaller
> > geometry like 65 / 55nm (700mhz or so, which for a GPU would be damn
> > good).
> >
> > l.
>
> Wait a sec! Last year you said:
>
> On Mon, 8 May 2017 16:43:07 +0100
> Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton <lkcl at lkcl.net> wrote:
> > On Mon, May 8, 2017 at 4:27 PM,  <ronwirring at safe-mail.net> wrote:
> > > Best knowledge is, that new intel and amd processors cannot be
> > > reverse engineered. What in regard of the latest mali gpus?
> > > If you have the money, they can be reverse engineered?
> >
> >  yes.  about $150k would do it.   but the question is, really: what
> > would happen if you did?  and, what else could you do with the same
> > money?
> >
> >  well, with the same money it would be possible to make our own libre
> > processor, with enough extensions to be able to do 3D graphics
> > *without* paying anyone a cent.  any company tries to claim patent
> > royalties, all that happens is a search is made on their "claims", for
> > anything similar that has prior art.
> >
> >  if it's another company, guess what?  we notify that other company
> > and watch the fireworks...
> >
> > l.
>
> 1M - 150k = 750K!!!
> Therefore you're tripling your price estimate on us!

 it depends on what you take into account.  if someone else pays the
NREs to the foundry, i.e. a university agrees to collaborate and is
offered access to a foundry for either free or at reduced rates,
$250k-$500k comes off that amount, straight away.

 if only wanting to reach a target of say producing the design files
(HDL), that's a different target entirely as well, and if someone else
can take over at that point (and make the actual money selling
product), then that's one way to ensure that the goal's reached [but
not guarantee financial benefit from it].

 so it was a throwaway comment written in about 30 seconds with no
strict analysis done.  last time i collaborated with an associate to
come up with a proper figure it was around USD $5m (for a client) and
it took us around five days to put that together.

 however that particular deal excluded certain resources and had
specific requirements.

> Seriously, when I get BIG money (which will be a while),

 cool

> I'm planning on calling you on this one

 excellent.  well, when that happens, let's talk (on or off list), you
let me know what you can raise and i'll put the time in - which will
be several days not a few moments - to work out what can be done, and
what side-deals will be needed, if necessary.

l.