<What we need is the "Open Hardware" movement. What is Open Hardware? It is
<a set of specifications for a computer and an interface system that anyone
<can build processors, I/O, or accessories for without owing any taxes to
<anyone.
Or an older SS50, s100, Multibus, STDbus, Qbus, unibus, Omnibus, eurobus...
system.
<
<However, ideally, this "open architecture" needs a bit of software already
<available for it to get the movement off the ground. I suggest that the
<PDP-11 could be that architecture for several reasons:
< 1) It has lots of software available for it.
< 2) It can be expressed in a single modern FPGA so processors
< can be "home built"
< 3) It has some pretty easy to use busses defined for it (Q-Bus,
Unibus)
Why roll your own when there are plenty of them cheap to free. Special
hardware could be handy like a good IDEinterface or a really cheap SCSI.
<Alternatively one could go with something like SPARC (which Sun alleges is
<open but I have my doubts)
Too highend.
Allison
Received on Fri Jul 02 1999 - 17:29:16 BST