better_privacy GOOD NEWS FOR DIGITAL PRIVACY: THE FIRST LINUX-PCS WITH ROYALTY-FREE RISC-V CPUS - RISC-V CPUS ARE OPEN-SOURCE AND NOT MADE BY INTEL, AMD, ARM OR APPLE - ARE GOING TO BECOME AVAILABLE SOON

[HistoryIsComplex 353]

For those who don't know, CPUs by INTEL, AMD, ARM and so forth are closed-source - you don't know for sure what is inside the CPU or what it does internally.

 

Only select companies that sign strict Non Disclosure Agreements get any kind of detailed insight into what is actually going on inside these CPUs.

 

This creates SIGNIFICANT PRIVACY RISKS for people who buy systems with closed-source CPUs.

 

RISC-V on the other hand is an OPEN-SOURCE - public and transparent - CPU architecture design.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RISC-V

 

It targets everything from smartphones, tablets and PCs to large SuperComputers and has been in development for about a decade.

 

The very first RISC-V LINUX PCs containting the brand new processors are now being made, mostly for enthusiasts and developers.

 

https://venturebeat.com/2020/10/29/sifive-unveils-plan-for-linux-pcs-based-on-risc-v-processors/

 

RISC-V means that you KNOW MUCH MORE ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE YOUR COMPUTING DEVICE than was the case with close-source CPUs.

 

 

Quote

SiFive today announced it is creating a platform for Linux-based personal computers based on RISC-V processors. Assuming customers adopt the processors and use them in PCs, the move might be part of a plan to create Linux-based PCs that use royalty-free processors. This could be seen as a challenge to computers based on designs from Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, or Arm, but giants of the industry don’t have to cower just yet.

 

The San Mateo, California-based company unveiled HiFive Unmatched, a development design for a Linux-based PC that uses its RISC-V processors. At the moment, these development PCs are early alternatives, most likely targeted at hobbyists and engineers who may snap them up when they become available in the fourth quarter for $665.

 

SiFive CTO Yunsup Lee spoke about the new development at the online Linley Fall Processor Conference being held today. Lee explained that the company’s HiFive Unmatched development boards allow RISC-V developers to create the software they need for their platforms. SiFive designs processors that can be customized for products ranging from the low end to the high end of the computing spectrum. These processors are based on RISC-V, a free and open architecture created by university researchers a decade ago.

The announcement is sure to cause some speculation.

 

While it’s still early days, it’s not inconceivable that RISC-V processors could someday be alternatives to Intel-based PCs and PC processors. The RISC-V organization is run by an industrywide body of supporters that includes SiFive. In fact, RISC-V’s founders are all working for SiFive in some fashion.

 

Edited November 3, 2020 by HistoryIsComplex

[metak88 353]

Unfortunately this is still far away...  What they launched right now is for kernel developers and not ordinary users who want to browse the web and watch videos.

[itsnotallrightjack 535]

Hopefully this will grow and get onto the market. Linux is the biz!

[Mixer 4]

I just switched one of my computers to Linux and I love it. Using the add ons ExpressVPN, Ghostery, Noscript, and Adblocker in Firefox doesn't hurt either. Even this site is watched by the googletagmanager script.