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Ashet Home Computer

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Re: Ashet Home Computer

#71

Post by echoangle »

aa-jv wrote: post #66
echoangle wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can solve thorny problems using Linux on a Laptop too, that doesn't mean I understand even 1% of the system. Even a relatively simple modern Microcontroller is so extremely complex that I don't think a single person could describe every aspect of it in detail.

By way of anecdotal counterpoint, I've got a teenage trainee apprentice working in my lab who can indeed read the RP2350 datasheet and describe what its doing and how to use it effectively in other applications. I don't think things are as difficult to understand as you do - but then again, I grew up with 8-bit computers where it really was competitively important to understand how they worked - and I don't think the…

Reading and applying the datasheet doesn't mean understanding the whole system. I don't even think a single employee of Raspberry Pi Foundation entirely understands the chip. It's a combination of IP cores and work of many different people, and probably too complex for a single person.

Re: Ashet Home Computer

#72

Post by spott »

lysace wrote: post #20
uticus wrote: post #5

> an expandable and hackable computer in the spirit of the 80's home computers cool! > Dual Core CPU hm that will make for some interesting first steps in learning

The Parallax P8X32A Propeller (2006) did multi-core processing in a very beginner friendly way. It can be done - if you take a holistic approach to hardware + runtime + development environment. The Propeller probably failed because of the custom language, the custom assembly syntax, the custom ISA, the custom IDE font (!) etc. It was a very neat system though.

The propeller 2 is going to be used as the south bridge for the Ashet.

Re: Ashet Home Computer

#73

Post by BirAdam »

bevr1337 wrote: post #27
ilaksh wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's really a fair claim in an educational context. There are at least two completely modern computers (which I assume means fairly complex) including the Raspberry PI and another one he is using the the bus or something. I just don't think modern CPUs really quite fit the claim of "fully understandable by a single person". I mean maybe technically but that is misleading in an educational context where…

> but that is misleading in an educational context where there are much simpler computers that are definitely fully understandable. Are there any other projects or resources in this space that you'd recommend? A friend and I cut our teeth on those AlphaSmart word processors that ran BASIC. I might could wrap my head around that.

I cannot recommend Code by Charles Petzold enough, especially the new second edition.

Re: Ashet Home Computer

#74

Post by BirAdam »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #3

I like that it is using a backplane architecture. The OS made me wonder how far someone could get trying to create a GUI for the 6502. I suppose the Apple II (GS?) headed there before the Mac fully took the reins and the Apple II was left out to pasture.

Yeah, the backplane immediately gives me S100 vibes.

Re: Ashet Home Computer

#75

Post by ikskuh »

aa-jv wrote: post #63
BizarroLand wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like the eurorack-esque modular design. Not everyone will want the same base layout, so making it swapable like that is a nice touch.

Actually this thing would be a lot sexier if it were in fact complying with Eurorack standards, imho. There's no better environment to be dropping an alternative computing platform than directly into the rack alongside the rest of the interesting modules of the 21st century ..

Creator here!

I did consider Euro Rack, 19" racks, MiniATX and other case standards. But with any of these options, i wouldnt be able to keep the price low. The case including all parts and assembly cost is roughly at 20€ per device. It's an off-the-shelf part, with only lasercutted parts in two materials, and a single custom component which is yet to be determined what's the cheapest manufacturing option.

I wanted to keep the price low and any of the options above would increase the price by at least 40€, which is a subatantial part of the components

Re: Ashet Home Computer

#76

Post by rollcat »

lelanthran wrote: post #57
mmackh wrote: post #11

There’s something to be said about an independent system you can understand and expand. What I think will be next frontier in home computing is truly understanding and owning the systems that run a smart home and that comes with understanding the environment (sensor data, presence detection, etc.). We live in an interesting time where embedded development has become so accessible and powerful that we can interface wi…

> What I think will be next frontier in home computing is truly understanding and owning the systems that run a smart home and that comes with understanding the environment (sensor data, presence detection, etc.) That's gonna be a while coming - we're now entering a stage where we won't even understand the code that gets written. Now, sure, some holdouts will understand the code, but that's not going to be the norm s…

There's a balance to be struck here.

Coming from HomeKit, I've tried (_really_ tried) to move to Home Assistant. The gap in usability was too enormous for me to cross, and I'd brand myself a hacker.

I won't trust any kind of a "smart" device to operate the front door lock - ever - but smart lightbulbs are still stupid lightbulbs. I can just flick the switch.

Privacy concerns are valid - I can be profiled based on usage. But it's not like Apple doesn't know my precise location already.

With all that in mind, I'd say usability comes first.

Re: Ashet Home Computer

#77

Post by ikskuh »

334f905d22bc19 wrote: post #68
voidUpdate wrote: post #53

This looks really interesting. I'd love to make something like this myself, from scratch, but I know I'd only get about 2 days into it before ADHD brain decided to do something else. Plus I'd be the only person who'd ever use it, and at that point it would be easier just to use a commercial PC. It could make a cool "cyberdeck" though. I'm already thinking about how I could do the bus stuff for the expansion cards, wi…

Another ADHD person here and I think my vision is almost the same as the creators. My goal is to build a fully self-hosted risc-v computer from scratch. It now took me 3 iterations and 3 years to get a somehow working risc-v CPU written in VHDL, that I am mostly satisfied with. It's a crazy hard struggle (finally pipelined though!). Everything breaks, I constantly get headaches and almost want to quit, but somehow I…

Creator here!

Wanna hop onto my crazy train and make a second main board?

I wanna make the Ashet Home Computer an open and free platform, so if you implement the backend control interface, you can use all of the environment yourself.

> I am way worse than OP and have no documentation at all.

I confess guilty at the currenr point. I do have planned a large phase in development where i will create entry-level docs for everything, as these are an essential part of the project.

The video is incredibly cool! Ashet started as a SoC in a ECP5, but the RP2350 basically hit all my spec requirements better than i could've done it myself, which made it a no-brainer to ditch the FPGA

Re: Ashet Home Computer

#79

Post by ikskuh »

aa-jv wrote: post #65
ikskuh wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Creator here! I know, i know! This is what makes me a bit sad. I dont know of any modern compiler i can use on the platform, as most hobby compilers target aarch64 or 32/64 bit x86. What i need tho is a compiler that targets Arm/Thumb-2. My research tells me that this confines me to: - A non-complete patch series for TCC (maybe) - LLVM - GCC As twonof them obviously won't run on 8 MB, my options are stripped down to:…

Considered the effort required to add Lua support to the platform? At least eLua would fit and probably provide a great environment for onboard development (i.e. non-crosscompiling...)

Lua is planned! It's an interpreted language with a lightweight compiler which is one of the next things on the "large scale" todo list!

Re: Ashet Home Computer

#80

Post by rollcat »

voidUpdate wrote: post #53

This looks really interesting. I'd love to make something like this myself, from scratch, but I know I'd only get about 2 days into it before ADHD brain decided to do something else. Plus I'd be the only person who'd ever use it, and at that point it would be easier just to use a commercial PC. It could make a cool "cyberdeck" though. I'm already thinking about how I could do the bus stuff for the expansion cards, wi…

Since we're having an impromptu ADHD club forming in this thread - I totally feel you. I've had too many ideas like this one, even some prototypes over the years.

There are many tricks to stay focused, particularly when there are no stakeholders but you. Try a body double, someone to keep you in check - you can also return the favor, like working from the same room, or just coming to their home to watch them clean while you do your stuff.

When you do get hyperfixated on something - that can be a very productive period, until you crash. Again, bring in a friend. Not to get back to it - just to make sure you're still eating. Don't push yourself to either side, find your own balance around it - I've picked up many hobbies where I've slowed down, but maintained interest over the years, decades.

Look for buddies in your local neurodivergent group, there's usually one somewhere near you. (Even here on HN, it turns out.)

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