System76 [Official Site], the hardware vendor that focuses on putting out well-supported Linux laptops, desktops and servers are teasing something new.
I've been following their CEO Carl Richell on Twitter for a while, watching the progress they're making towards their new desktop line and it's always fun to see the pictures. It's good to see a Linux hardware specialist doing so well that they can setup their own full production line.
As for the teaser, named Thelio, which could end up being the actual name for their new unit here's what they said:
System76 is releasing a new open-source computer, available for preorder next month. In the coming weeks, before the finalized hardware is announced, a four-part animation will be released weekly, with design updates hidden within a game portion of the story.
The story itself contains different worlds, each representing an antithesis to open source ideals. These themes are utilized to draw attention to the importance of open source in the evolution of technology. The parallel drawn between open source and the Thelio computer also helps System76 celebrate its milestone as the company transitions to manufacturing its own open hardware. CEO Carl Richell has been striving to achieve this goal since the company’s inception in 2005, and is eager to bring the new hardware to customers and open source fans alike.
Part of the problem with a lot of places, is that they're all essentially doing the same thing and only competing on price and delivery. So we're now going to have a Linux hardware vendor doing something truly unique, that's why I find this so exciting.
Find out more about it on their blog post and the official teaser website.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Quoting: shtumfMaybe Thelio openhardware computer is made from SiFive development + extension board who knows. What do you think ?If it is I'd be very surprised AND intrigued I don't really see System 76 engaging themselves in the RISC-V adventure right now. Heck even the guys defending its potential are saying in their conferences "look it's a toy for you to tinker with for now don't expect huge number of boards being floating around like the Raspberry PI we're nowhere near THAT ready"
So that would be kind of surprising generaly people who defend an alternative platform stop being cautious early in the developement of their project/architecture so if even they feel not ready it must be real not ready.
Quoting: GuestIt's so open source and free that it will cost you fortune to own. lol Seriously, while it's great that System 76 is a big Linux supporter I could build a pc that is top notch for far less than they charge for a decent laptoplPesky economies of scale if only there was a way to sway you ...
Sorry it's not an attack i'm just being facetious here. I know it sucks to have to be the ones that pay the brunt and the high price so that they can gain momentum enough to have lower prices but that's economies of scale for ya.
slaapliedje Sep 30, 2018
Quoting: TheSyldatSame thing happened in the 80s / early 90s with computers. The IBM compatibles were expensive as hell until the demand for them brought the price down and killed off all the custom chip computers (Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, and in a lesser way, Macintosh). Now everything is x86 except ARM, which is slowly gaining some laptop install base.Quoting: GuestIt's so open source and free that it will cost you fortune to own. lol Seriously, while it's great that System 76 is a big Linux supporter I could build a pc that is top notch for far less than they charge for a decent laptoplPesky economies of scale if only there was a way to sway you ...
Sorry it's not an attack i'm just being facetious here. I know it sucks to have to be the ones that pay the brunt and the high price so that they can gain momentum enough to have lower prices but that's economies of scale for ya.
If RISC-V can ride the open source hardware wave, and fix CPU vulnerabilities that x86 and most others with speculative execution have, then there is a decent chance for adoption.
Quoting: slaapliedjeIf RISC-V can ride the open source hardware wave, and fix CPU vulnerabilities that x86 and most others with speculative execution have, then there is a decent chance for adoption.Ironicaly I'd like for RISC-V to take back a bit more the route of dedicated processors but I doubt we will ever see a turn back to that and speculative execution and other shenanigans will probably stay with us for long.
General purposes processors just make more sense economically (not ecologically though) but right now they're just at the phase of trhowing some prototyping boards to see what people will do with them.
I hope RISC-V finds it's niche somewhere and starts growing but blame it on my age me being french or whatev's I'm just not seeing the platform taking off quickly.
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