Hello everyone,
I’ve been wondering, why has no one built an entirely free (as in freedom) computer yet? For humans to be unable to share each other’s knowledge to build one of the most important technologies ever created for society, how is it that we have yet to have full knowledge about how our systems operate?
I get that companies are basically the ones to blame, and I know there are alternatives like the Talos II by Raptor Computing, but still, how do we not have publicly available full schematics for just one modern computer? I’m talking down to firmware-level stuff like proprietary ECs, microcode, hard drive/SSD firmware, network controllers, etc. How do we not have a fully open system yet?
Absolutely, creating a complete modern computer is an incredibly complex task. Building a 3GHz CPU from scratch is a monumental challenge, and even assembling components like stm32 or Pis requires a level of expertise. Developing your own drivers, dealing with various peripherals, and ensuring compatibility is tough shit.
However, once the software is written and released under a Free Software license, it will be there forever. As you’ve already stated, it’s hard, but not impossible. I share your hope that one day we will reach the point where such endeavors become more feasible.
Linux exists, so I’m not sure what more you’re asking for at a software level.
You’re never going to get open source computer hardware. The machines that make the chips cost many, many millions of dollars.
Never say never. The phones in our hands are orders of magnitudes more powerful than the computer that took people into space and enabled landing on the moon. Eventually even today’s technology will be obsolete and potentially even easy to replicate in a garage. 2nm processes may be difficult, but 40nm process is certainly not impossible for hobbyists of the future.
Edit: An article about a tinkerer currently using older tech to make semiconductors in his parents’ garage.
Yes, but nobody wants to use technology 10 generations out of date. We could potentially build open, free computers on a level with those used to develop the atom bomb, but who would use them when the commercial alternatives cost pennies?
This is the same argument you could use against any open-source projects. Software is much easier to open-source because the tools needed and barrier to entry are relatively minuscule. Hardware requires a lot of resources that take time and money to acquire. TSMC is fifty years ahead because they have had billions in research funds and have acquired the brightest minds of the past few generations, this still doesn’t mean that the technology of today is limited to highly advanced fabs the same way fifty years from now. Arguably all it takes is a dedicated team of highly-skilled hobbyists to make leaps toward open-source hardware more suitable for today’s requirements.
OP said hobbyists will never be able to make open-source hardware close to today’s scale, but it’s entirely possible for future generations to do just that.
I’m not sure you realize the level of precision required here. It’s literally measures in nanometers.
Now I’m not in the habit of saying anything is impossible but that sure seems highly unlikely to happen in our lifetime.
The fabs broke sub-micron well over 30 years ago, the biggest reason it won’t happen sooner in the public space is because most assume making it open-source is impossible. Technology hasn’t progressed because people said X (variable, not the social formerly known as Twitter) was impossible, it progressed because of the people who questioned that assumption.
Just to be clear how far behind the “hobby” microchip scene is, not to take anything away from the accomplishment, but the chip he made can’t do 1 + 1 yet. Don’t get the wrong idea from only reading the article title. No one is making pi chips in their garage.
No one claimed they’re making pi chips in their garage, it’s a modest start towards open-source hardware. One guy in a garage doing what thousands of skilled engineers and scientists devoted careers to make in expensive labs.
Wow that is amazing. Even just a simple microcontroller chip that can be homebrewed would be amazing. Without being dependent on a global and somewhat fragile industrial economy. Something that allows you to program a 3D printer or CNC mill or use kites to generate electricity.
Thanks for the article, awesome read!
To be fair, there is open source hardware- Arduino and whatnot. But a microcontroller is a lot simpler than a full computer.
Those devices aren’t completely open though. The boards are, but the components they include, namely the processor, are not at all open source.
A microchip, even something as simple as an Arduino – which is an atmega 32 – is literally impossible to make in your garage. The machines that make the chips have multi million dollar HVAC just to get the dust out, before they even worry about the hardware.