[LUG] teh usefulness or need for FPGA

[Adrian Midgley <akm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> > An FPGA based design would give you the advantage that many
> > specialised interfaces could be developed without
> > significant chip count.

A reason why it may become essential to have Open Hardware 
around lies in the development of "trusted" computing models and 
hardware DRM.

In their place, each is of potential beneift, however I have 
absolutely no confidence in Microsoft not trying to use them to 
exclude other firms and operating systems, and little in the 
current generation of the national authorities in their region 
of operation restraining them from doing so.

The Chinese processor with its "millions of crystal tubes" may 
be one solution, but the combination of the Open Hardware SPARC 
design and an FPGA with I am told currently around 486 
performance and Linux is one that prmises to preserve certain 
liberties. 

Need about 16 of them though.... 

-- 
From one of the Linux desktops of Dr Adrian Midgley 
http://www.defoam.net/             

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