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GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

opensource.googleblog.com

81–90 of 91 posts

Re: GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

#81
post #80

I might get some hate for this, but Google seems to be doing some really cool things, like in fintech as well as this silicon project. Google Finance is one of the only players I've seen with an interest of opening things up when so much of the industry is about pushing others out and restricting access. Like for example the CME deal, to open source live, low latency stock market data. Bloomberg might let you rent it…

> remote controlled barge out in the pacific garbage patch Whilst I like the thought behind idea, these ocean garbage patches aren't easy to clean up with a barge. > For many people, the idea of a “garbage patch” conjures up images of an island of trash floating on the ocean. In reality, these patches are almost entirely made up of tiny bits of plastic, called microplastics. Microplastics can’t always be seen by the…

There is actually already a (very nerdy, HN appropriate) project cleaning up the garbage patch.

And yes, they also started building river interceptors as that is more bang per buck. They still seem to think they can clean the existing stuff economically too.

https://theoceancleanup.com/dashboard/

Re: GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

#82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty much this, just run android without GMS and you quickly discover how limited it can be if you don't know what your doing.

Except that there are also a few people like myself. I am now at my 3rd Android smartphone and I have always used all of them without GMS and without a Google account and I do not feel that I have missed anything. All the mobile phone services, camera, clock/calendar, file storage, Web browsing, including the use of anything accessible on the Web, e.g. Google Maps, all work OK, and I do not need anything else from my…

I just used a Huawei phone for like 2 year without GMS, but you and I are not 99.999 of the general phone users out there.

I used Aurora store to access the Playstore, youtube vance to play youtube movies. For the rest i only use Facebook Messenger(for family), whats app, Telegram and my banking app doesn't need GMS to function. Those messenger app have their own notification services so not completely dependent on GMS stuff. For the rest i'm more interested in camera specs and not really in mobile app ecosystem outside of those couple of apps i just need to talk with family and friends..

It is totally doable but don't think 99.999 of the phone users will take the effort to find everything out.

Re: GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

#83
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, how things have changed. I've been here since back when Google could do no wrong. Now they're a poster child for shady surveillance capitalism. Same with Elon Musk. I remember him being compared to a comic book hero. Now he's an alt-right racist (if you are a leftist) or an evil globalist technocrat (if you are a rightist).

From day one Google’s business plan was ads - except for the brief time where they were selling “Google Search Appliances”. Every company whose business model isn’t “I give them money and they give me stuff” is shady.

It may be hard to recall now, but their big thing was actually less intrusive and less scammy ads than the state of the art at the time.

It's also worth mentioning that lots of businesses that you pay money to, track you in similar ways. The origin of it was probably supermarket loyalty cards in the pre-internet era.

The association with no-cost products is not really appropriate, and mostly seems to be progaganda from people with other business models. It was the web scale and pure digital products that let the cost drop to near zero, which synergises with ad-supported offerings, (just as "free" ad-supported TV and radio were a thing for decades). However, it also allows other business models, such as non-profits like Wikipedia, netflix subscriptions, or subsidized by necessary hardware purchases.

Similarly, just because you pay money for various Google services, doesn't really gave them any motivation to not track you.

Re: GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

#84

When the first open SkyWater 130nm PDK came out, with Google paying for free shuttle runs I did wonder how long the money would keep going. I assumed they'd fund a handful of shuttles in the hope that kick starts wider usage. With this announcement and the other SkyWater 90nm they're bringing out ( https://opensource.googleblog.com/2022/07/SkyWater-and-Googl... ) it looks like they're keen to fund this for the long h…

Am noob. I don't know what a shuttle is.

efabless.com makes custom short run chips, right? Does this mean Google covered the cost of 240 chips for other people?

$2.34m.

That's kinda awesome.

Re: GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

#85
post #60
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I blame George Lucas for this.

Star Wars confused parsecs with a unit of time, not light years.

> you've got your units mixed up; minute is a unit of time, and light-year is a unit of distance.

Re: GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

#86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty much this, just run android without GMS and you quickly discover how limited it can be if you don't know what your doing.

Except that there are also a few people like myself. I am now at my 3rd Android smartphone and I have always used all of them without GMS and without a Google account and I do not feel that I have missed anything. All the mobile phone services, camera, clock/calendar, file storage, Web browsing, including the use of anything accessible on the Web, e.g. Google Maps, all work OK, and I do not need anything else from my…

How did you install Google Maps though? I assume you are a technical users?

I'm also running LineageOS+MicroG+Aurora and it works for me, but 95% of the populace isn't going to have much luck doing this, which is as Google intended.

Re: GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

#87
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Thank you for reaching out to Efabless! To answer your questions, we can support requests for bare die in our QFN shuttle programs, with the next QFN shuttle having a tapeout of November 14, 2022. Also, the material that you were asking about is aluminum." Correct me if I am wrong, this means I could do this. Perhaps I am wrong! In which case I should find a different chip supplier.

Unfortunately you are wrong. The padframe and top metal layer which "entomb" Caravel designs are both part of the die. They are not part of the package. Omitting the package does not help you here. You might be confusing the padframe with the leadframe . The padframe is part of the die, the leadframe is part of the package. In a QFN package they are connected to each other by extremely thin gold wires.

The answer is actually nuanced.

"From the ChipIgnite program you can get bare die; from the Open MPW program, you can't. If you submit something on a ChipIgnite shuttle run, then the pads will be exposed, along with any other places on the chip that you place overglass cuts (i.e., you can place your own pad cuts internal to the user area)."

Re: GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

#88
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> remote controlled barge out in the pacific garbage patch Whilst I like the thought behind idea, these ocean garbage patches aren't easy to clean up with a barge. > For many people, the idea of a “garbage patch” conjures up images of an island of trash floating on the ocean. In reality, these patches are almost entirely made up of tiny bits of plastic, called microplastics. Microplastics can’t always be seen by the…

There is actually already a (very nerdy, HN appropriate) project cleaning up the garbage patch. And yes, they also started building river interceptors as that is more bang per buck. They still seem to think they can clean the existing stuff economically too. https://theoceancleanup.com/dashboard/

Thanks for the link, it looks like an interesting project, and fun engineering challenge.

It would be interesting to see $ spent per tonne of garbage removed from the rivers vs ocean. Like you said, far more economical to focus on the source. Given no project has unlimited funds, why spend resources on the"garbage patch"? I suspect that they still work on the ocean part because:

1. Is better for fundraising;

2. Is a fun engineering challenge;

3. fun to work on big boats;

4. Helps with recruitment;

Re: GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

#89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From day one Google’s business plan was ads - except for the brief time where they were selling “Google Search Appliances”. Every company whose business model isn’t “I give them money and they give me stuff” is shady.

It may be hard to recall now, but their big thing was actually less intrusive and less scammy ads than the state of the art at the time. It's also worth mentioning that lots of businesses that you pay money to, track you in similar ways. The origin of it was probably supermarket loyalty cards in the pre-internet era. The association with no-cost products is not really appropriate, and mostly seems to be progaganda fr…

I also don't watch ad supported TV. T-Mobile has a promotion where you can get free Paramount+ with ads. I tried the free offering for 2 hours and I said forget it and upgraded to the ad free tier.

The only time that ads don't really bother me are the rare occasions I watch sports. The breaks are more natural.

Re: GlobalFoundries joins Google’s open source silicon initiative

#90
post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is actually already a (very nerdy, HN appropriate) project cleaning up the garbage patch. And yes, they also started building river interceptors as that is more bang per buck. They still seem to think they can clean the existing stuff economically too. https://theoceancleanup.com/dashboard/

Thanks for the link, it looks like an interesting project, and fun engineering challenge. It would be interesting to see $ spent per tonne of garbage removed from the rivers vs ocean. Like you said, far more economical to focus on the source. Given no project has unlimited funds, why spend resources on the"garbage patch"? I suspect that they still work on the ocean part because: 1. Is better for fundraising; 2. Is a…

They do work on cleaning up rivers as well!

Check their Interceptors.

https://theoceancleanup.com/rivers/

Also, the ocean garbage does need cleaning up too

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