Re: Re: intro

["Kragen \"Skewed\" Sitaker" <kragen@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 14 Nov 1997, KC5TJA wrote:
> I even pondered the concept of a GNU Processor Architecture, of a freely
> redistributable and GNU copylefted processor architecture design.
> Unfortunately, with me having so little time, it never took off.

One of the reasons I use gcc, Linux, etc., is that I don't have to build
them.  I might have to ask the computer to build them, but I don't have to
construct them by hand myself.

Software is funny that way.  Once you have a complete design for a
program, you can run it, and so can everyone else.  The only
'manufacturing' effort is copying bytes one after another from disk into
memory or vice versa.

I don't think I would really want to build my own processor, except for
fun.

On the other hand, there are some very interesting projects in the
research phase right now.  Printing circuits with standard laser printers
on 8 1/2 by 11 inch pieces of glass film, then coating with plastic
semiconductor material -- in the prototype phase.  Small machines capable
of assembling other small machines atom by atom -- in the wild theory
stage.  Industrial robots capable of machining their own parts -- common
practice in machine shops.

If these become common enough, we *can* have a GNU processor architecture.
Then we just need to loosen intellectual-property restrictions enough that
it's legal for people other than Intel to make CPUs.

Kragen