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Nvidia's $99 Jetson Nano Is an AI Computer for DIY Enthusiasts

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Re: Nvidia's $99 Jetson Nano Is an AI Computer for DIY Enthusiasts

#151

Post by jdietrich »

adrianN wrote: post #82
supernova87a wrote: post #76

I am continually amazed that we're able to buy better and cheaper processors that no one could have dreamed about at such power/cost 50 years ago. I estimate it would take me and you maybe 1 year to learn how to build / assemble most things you find in your house that cost $1000 in a store -- a couch, a rug, even a simple kitchen appliance (the dumb kind). But a CPU / computer? I could not invent that given 10,000 ye…

You should read "From NAND to Tetris". You could totally build a CPU yourself after a year of study. Not something that can compete with a modern microprocessor of course, but then again you probably couldn't build a compressor for a fridge with the same quality as a factory either.

See also Sam Zeelof's DIY silicon fab. Even using commercial equipment and supplies, the amount of work needed to make even the most rudimentary IC is quite staggering.

http://sam.zeloof.xyz/category/semiconductor/

Re: Nvidia's $99 Jetson Nano Is an AI Computer for DIY Enthusiasts

#152

Post by samstave »

oflannabhra wrote: post #146
supernova87a wrote: post #76

I am continually amazed that we're able to buy better and cheaper processors that no one could have dreamed about at such power/cost 50 years ago. I estimate it would take me and you maybe 1 year to learn how to build / assemble most things you find in your house that cost $1000 in a store -- a couch, a rug, even a simple kitchen appliance (the dumb kind). But a CPU / computer? I could not invent that given 10,000 ye…

There was a guy that decided to make a toaster from scratch [0]. Literally from scratch: as in, mining and refining ore, etc. It was a bit of a stunt [1], but it definitely highlighted the advantage of scale and industry we typically take for granted. [0] - http://www.thetoasterproject.org/page2.htm [1] - https://gizmodo.com/one-mans-nearly-impossible-quest-to-make...

I love both of these comments.

I ised to talk to friends about “deep thinking” of what it took to make the sinple object in front of them, which they took for granted.

My favorite example was a pen.

Youre so abstracted from what it takes to actually make a simple pen.

Imagine it was post-apocolypse, and youre the only person left on earth - and in addition to all other humans who have dissapeared, all pens/pencils have also dissapeared.

You must build a pen - a ball point pen, to chronicle humanity.

Where do you start?

The simplest of objects have such a complex origin story.

Re: Nvidia's $99 Jetson Nano Is an AI Computer for DIY Enthusiasts

#153

Post by m_mueller »

nl wrote: post #71
remyM wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems to lose in Mobilenet and win in other benches according to Nvidia's benchmarks. I'll wait for independent testing before I drop $100. https://devblogs.nvidia.com/jetson-nano-ai-computing/

Interesting. I hadn't seen that, but the NVidia numbers on their own products seem credible. I do agree that the flexibility of having real CUDA cores is nice.

couldn't this play games then? seems to be a pretty nice platform for a homebrew videogame console.

Re: Nvidia's $99 Jetson Nano Is an AI Computer for DIY Enthusiasts

#154

Post by agumonkey »

EForEndeavour wrote: post #131
agumonkey wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree on goalpost but still differ on Friedman's point. Culture shifts into thinking you need objects to the point of making you forget what you wanted in the first place. Friedman wants to marvel at the thought of his beloved market.

Friedman does wax lyrical about his beloved market toward the end of that video, but the main point I drew from his quote about the pencil is that it's absolutely mind-blowing to stop and contemplate the incredible cooperation and pre-existing systems required to construct so many of the mundane, dirt-cheap objects of the modern world. The fact that someone could eschew mass-produced lead pencils in favour of a self-…

After viewing primitive technology and crafting videos I'm convinced of the opposite. Culture makes you think that only mass market can do that.

Re: Nvidia's $99 Jetson Nano Is an AI Computer for DIY Enthusiasts

#155

Post by Kurtz79 »

supernova87a wrote: post #76

I am continually amazed that we're able to buy better and cheaper processors that no one could have dreamed about at such power/cost 50 years ago. I estimate it would take me and you maybe 1 year to learn how to build / assemble most things you find in your house that cost $1000 in a store -- a couch, a rug, even a simple kitchen appliance (the dumb kind). But a CPU / computer? I could not invent that given 10,000 ye…

For me, the "wow" moment was the first Raspberry Pi.

A fully working computer, in the palm of your hands, powered by USB with Full HD video out and Ethernet, for 35 bucks?

Mind blowing.

Re: Nvidia's $99 Jetson Nano Is an AI Computer for DIY Enthusiasts

#156

Post by heavenlyblue »

samstave wrote: post #152
oflannabhra wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There was a guy that decided to make a toaster from scratch [0]. Literally from scratch: as in, mining and refining ore, etc. It was a bit of a stunt [1], but it definitely highlighted the advantage of scale and industry we typically take for granted. [0] - http://www.thetoasterproject.org/page2.htm [1] - https://gizmodo.com/one-mans-nearly-impossible-quest-to-make...

I love both of these comments. I ised to talk to friends about “deep thinking” of what it took to make the sinple object in front of them, which they took for granted. My favorite example was a pen. Youre so abstracted from what it takes to actually make a simple pen. Imagine it was post-apocolypse, and youre the only person left on earth - and in addition to all other humans who have dissapeared, all pens/pencils ha…

Haven't China only a few years ago managed to produce an actual ballpoint pen? [1]

[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/01/18...

Re: Nvidia's $99 Jetson Nano Is an AI Computer for DIY Enthusiasts

#157

Post by agumonkey »

kbutler wrote: post #143
agumonkey wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry to differ, I think this is twisted by an era where liberal market was held as god like status. Take the rubber and metal out because for now. To draw a dark line on a surface, you take the first bit of wood you find, grind it into a point and burn it. You have a pencil. I really believe that the free market centuries made people believe it was the only or most efficient way to get an object done, just like peop…

Friedman's example is more an illustration that when we want to design a replacement for a working system, there is often a lot more complexity than expected - reinvented wheels are often square. Your example ends up with a piece of charcoal that doesn't have an eraser, gives you slivers, gets charcoal all over, has to be burnt every time you need to sharpen it (with a market-produced lighter or matches), doesn't wor…

you don't need a lighter to make fire, and you don't need to sharpen, you regrind.

j2ee is an example of mass mistook for an example of good. It was taught as the ultimate goal to marvel at the complexity of the remote objects.

Re: Nvidia's $99 Jetson Nano Is an AI Computer for DIY Enthusiasts

#159

Post by dekhn »

doomjunky wrote: post #86
adrianN wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should read "From NAND to Tetris". You could totally build a CPU yourself after a year of study. Not something that can compete with a modern microprocessor of course, but then again you probably couldn't build a compressor for a fridge with the same quality as a factory either.

Look at this lead pencil. There's not a single person in the world who could make this pencil. [0] [0]: Milton Friedman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Gppi-O3a8

actually, lead pencils were all originally made in a single location. the outcome now is just due to modern manufacturing. If people wanted to build a decent pencil locally, it would be possible, just not economic.

Re: Nvidia's $99 Jetson Nano Is an AI Computer for DIY Enthusiasts

#160

Post by vishnugupta »

oflannabhra wrote: post #146
supernova87a wrote: post #76

I am continually amazed that we're able to buy better and cheaper processors that no one could have dreamed about at such power/cost 50 years ago. I estimate it would take me and you maybe 1 year to learn how to build / assemble most things you find in your house that cost $1000 in a store -- a couch, a rug, even a simple kitchen appliance (the dumb kind). But a CPU / computer? I could not invent that given 10,000 ye…

There was a guy that decided to make a toaster from scratch [0]. Literally from scratch: as in, mining and refining ore, etc. It was a bit of a stunt [1], but it definitely highlighted the advantage of scale and industry we typically take for granted. [0] - http://www.thetoasterproject.org/page2.htm [1] - https://gizmodo.com/one-mans-nearly-impossible-quest-to-make...

Thanks for the links! I've bookmarked those, I'll show it to those who say 'from first principles', to check if that's what they mean :-)
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