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Crowdfunding the Novena Open Laptop

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Re: Crowdfunding the Novena Open Laptop

#61
post #59

What are the use cases for the FPGA realistically? Then only piece of easily downloaded and installed code is a SHA based crytocoin miner.

Just to toss out a few ideas: software defined radio, high-throughput DSP (like audio processing or machine vision), MITMing of fast protocols, packet inspection, CPU emulation.

Re: Crowdfunding the Novena Open Laptop

#62
post #59

What are the use cases for the FPGA realistically? Then only piece of easily downloaded and installed code is a SHA based crytocoin miner.

Learning & prototyping hardware (ASIC) design. Applications that like low latency I/O. You can respond in microseconds with real time guarantees, eg for radio link layer protocols.

Re: Crowdfunding the Novena Open Laptop

#63
post #12

I'm always interested in open hardware but I'm a bit baffled by the choices that are available: Just the board: This is perhaps the most appealing option but I would want a case with it, I'm not interested in building my own case. Why would I want a 4GB microSD with that? I'll buy my own with a decent capacity/class or even an SSD. All-in-One Desktop: $700 more than board for a case and LCD? The design of the flip-to…

Sounds like you just want a regular laptop, there are many companies who already make those.

Re: Crowdfunding the Novena Open Laptop

#66
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first paper is (a) complaining about FreeBSD and (b) he hasn't seen how bad most commercial software is on the source side. The second is about suspend; while I somewhat agree on not liking high integration (dbus, high-complexity desktops), suspend has been a total nightmare largely due to hardware manufacturers. You need to do very specific things or the display doesn't come back cleanly.

The first paper is not complaining about FreeBSD, it's complaining about open source software in general, using the FreeBSD ports tree as an example. All of the software examples given are equally valid for Linux -- libtool and all its ugliness is still required, a lot of intermediary libraries are thrown out in the end result -- and the lessons are still unlearned. The mess of OSS begat ALSA, obstinate kernel develo…

Software architecture is harder than it looks. Where's your alternative tidier solution?

I agree that libtool is ugly, but it lets you build on different systems with different management that are immune to harmonisation. The sound mess is similar: people refusing to give up their own ideas on what constitutes a good solution. We don't have a magic wand to make people reach consensus. The best we've managed is Jobsian totalitarianism, and even that doesn't always produce the right answer.

Re: Crowdfunding the Novena Open Laptop

#67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you wanted just the board + case, and aren't really interested in hacking on the device, you might want to look into the Cubox-i4pro which uses the same cpu (though slightly slower clock, 1000 vs 1200 iirc) https://imx.solid-run.com/product/cubox-i4-pro/ I just got my pre order a few weeks back, but haven't had the chance to play with it yet.

It looks like the Cubox isn't open. At least, it fails the 10 minute rule. I couldn't find the design files, beyond pdfs for the schematics of the "upper" and "lower" PCBs (which don't meet the criteria of being open) and nothing for the main board.

It really isn't open hardware... but it's pretty much the same cpu/chipset and if you're fiddling with software, it's a much better option price wise. That said, TFA's open laptop really isn't so open either, considering the gpu/accelleration abilities are locked up. You give me open hardware with open drivers at something resembling cost competative, then I'll take notice.

Re: Crowdfunding the Novena Open Laptop

#68
post #64

A little off-topic, but they gave a nice talk about SD Card exploitation at the 30C3 in germany: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPEzLNh5YIo

Not really off-topic: at 42:00 the setup shows a Novena prototype. They used a binder as case.

Re: Crowdfunding the Novena Open Laptop

#69
post #56

Open laptop because we're worried about state-sponsored attackers expending multiple millions of dollars of time and resources to undertake the lowest level of attacks upon our hardware. Top model ships with a keyboard with a radio transceiver built in.

Defending against an APT is not the only use case for the machine. More importantly you singled out the top of the line model for your complaint. For that much money it better come with keyboard. Worried about APT? Save thousands and build your own ergodox to use with the novena.

Re: Crowdfunding the Novena Open Laptop

#70
Somebody please make a device which is more accessible (pricewise), and can be used to prototype/interface with common digital protocols (i2c, uart's, spi, CAN, ethernet, USB).

I'd imagine it could be a mashup of SBC (Beagle, Olimex's LIME, heck, even RaspberryPi) and Bus Pirate. Add a screen and battery, and call it a day.

I don't think a device like this should have the fastest CPU and plenty of RAM (that wouldn't hurt of course).

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