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This open-source chip design could do for hardware what Linux did for software
Quoting: This open-source chip design could do for hardware what Linux did for software —
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As I write this, there are basically two types of CPU that matter: x86 and ARM. The former belongs to Intel and AMD, which each hold critical patents necessary to make modern PC chips. ARM belongs to, well, ARM, and you'll find that in MacBooks, phones, tablets, and more.
Intel and AMD are unlikely to let anyone new make x86 chips, and ARM too is in full control of who it licenses its technology to. But, there is a third option in the form of RISC-V. Like ARM, RISC-V is a CPU instruction set architecture that uses a RISC or "Reduced Instruction Set Computer" approach. However, unlike ARM (and x86), RISC-V is completely open. Anyone can design and sell RISC-V CPUs without paying a cent. Why RISC-V matters It's the principle that counts
The world runs on microchips. These little squares of thinking sand are immensely important, and having just two closed architectures dominating everything is a good thing. However, it's important to remember that RISC-V isn't a CPU you can just buy from someone. It's a "blueprint" you can use to design your own CPU.
Because that blueprint is free and open, it means you can extend it, build on it, and create exactly what you need without having to reinvent the wheel.
The easiest comparison is the difference between Linux and Windows. Linux gave developers an open foundation they could modify freely, which allowed innovation to happen at every level of the stack. RISC-V aims to do something similar for silicon.